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Photographic 

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empreinte. 

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dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
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illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

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32X 


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£5 


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QmA.. 


1       ^ 


25  CENTS 


25  CENTS 


All  About 
The   IClondyke 

Gold  Mines. 


'MILLIONS    IJS    THEM,'' 

The  complete  story  to  date.     Told  by 
those  who  have  been  there* 


HOW  TO  REACH  THE  MINES. 

What  to  do  when  you  get  there* 
^^    The  Necessary  Outfit* 
Facts  and  Figures* 


♦  >» 


PUBUISHBO    BV 


{THE  niNER5'  NEW5  FUPLISHINQ  CO 

I  60  Ulbcrty  Street,  INe'w  Yorlt. 

i     CENTS—— — '-^-T--iS 


<^iiW  w*  *»UF>aagifi   • 


.!«('«•    u*      nkkMAw.'  tttkHa''  \j\ 


iA«& 


V    " 

:% 


All  About 


THE  KLONDYKE 


GOLD  Mines. 


PUBLISHED  BY 

THE    MINERS'    NEWS    PUBLISHING    CO., 

60  Liberty;Street,  New  York. 


li 


Copyrighted  1S97 
By  the  MINERS'  NEWS  PUBLISHING  CO. 


I' 


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I 


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I 


LOCATION  OF  THE  YUKON  MINES. 


^ 


MAP  OF  THE  YUKON  GOLD  DIGGINGS. 

Sitka  appears  at  the  southeast  corner  of  this  map,  and  northeast  of  it  is 
Juneau,  the  usual  fitting  out  place  for  miners  going  to  the  Yukon. 

The  arrows  show  the  route  of  miners  bound  for  the  Yukon.  Steamboats  can 
carry  them  from  Juneau  as  far  as  Ty-a.  Then  they  must  pack  their  loads  through 
Chilkoot  rass  and  boat  them  through  a  chain  of  lakes  and  down  the  Lewis  River 
to  the  Yukon.     It  is  about  700  miles  from  Juneau  to  the  Klondyke  River. 

The  two  other  most  important  centres  of  Yukon  mining  were  Forty  Mile 
Creek,  where  there  were  two  big  mining  camps,  Forty  Mile  and  Fort  Cudahy,  and 
Circle  City.  All  these  camps  have  now  been  practically  deserted  in  the  great 
rush  for  the  Klondyke. 

TAe  ever  reliable  and  always  trustworthy  New  York  Sun  publishes 

the  map  as  given  above. 


» 


s 


. 


i 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 


Mil  1 1  of  llic   l.iH'jitioii  I  if  the  ^'uk<)Il  Mitif •' 

(lold— Tli(>  Sciiicli   for   It.   I'.ist  and    I'rcsciil '» 

Klondyko    iiiid    C'lilifornk— 1849-1  S!)7 '•» 

Tlie  Coolofry  of  tlio  Yukon    I '» 

The  "Mofl..>r  Lode"  and  tlic  (ilncial   Deposits   l'» 

The  Groat  (Jold  Discovpiy— IIow  Llie  First.  Autlicrilio  Nows  rvoachod  Us.  .1:5 

Iho  Ciold  Fever  Spreading — The  Stories  of  Some  IMinors 11 

^Millions  of  fiold  Panned  Out— Poor  Yesterday— Rolliiij.?  in  Wealth  Te- 

day    l^i 

An-ival  of  the  Second  Treasure  Ship  froni  the  Klondyke 1!> 

A  Few  of  the  Prizes  Won  -1 

Some  drapes  of  Esehol  Stories— Eicher  than  Sinbad's  Valley  of  Diamonds. 22 

The  Stampede  for  the  Gold — Thousands  Join  the  Fxodus .24 

Where  the  Gold  is  Found— How  It  Is  Reached  and  Mined 20 

Some  Large  Nuggets— There  Are  More  Where  They  Came  From 2!) 

]\Iillions  Upon  Millions  in  Sight— William  Stiinley's  Graphic  Story  2(» 

How  to  Get  There— Choice  of  Two  Routes 32 

From  San  Francisco  to  the  ISIines — Ocean  Route 34 

Pciils  of  the  Trip — Encounters  with  Ice  and  Snow  in  the  Passes 35 

The  Canadian  Government's  Attitude — An  International  Question 38 

Dawson  Not  a  Tough  Town— The  Civilization  of  a  Mining  Camp 39 

Fearg  of  Starvation— Danger  of  Going  to  the  Mines  Without  Food  Supply. 41 

Cost  of  Living  in  Dawson / '43 

The  Climate  and  the  Mosquitoes— tJjort  Summer— Heat  and   Cold  Con- 
trasts     4^ 

Capital  Required  by  Miners— Some  Things  Indispensable  in  an  Outfit 45 

Valuable   Expert   Advice— A   :Mining    Engineer's   Warnings   and    Sugges- 
tions     47 

Some  Tilings  Worth  Kjiowing   55 

The  New  York  Journal  Expedition  to  Klondyke 50 

Sailors  Get  Gold  Craze— Desert  Their  Ships  in  Alaskan  Ports  to  Dig  for 

Fort.uiiies    "^^ 

Only  Three  Deaths  in  a  Year— The  Healthiest  Region  in  the  World  Is  the 

Klondyko    51 

Canadian  Mining  Laws— Regulations  Imposed    by    the    Dominion  Upon 

Placer    Mining    52 

Explanatory   and   Important 5S 


( 


i 


THE  KLONDYKE. 


GOLD. 


THE  SEARCH  FOR  IT  PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


Since  the  dawn  of  Iiistory  man  has  attached  to  gold  a  value  greater  than 
that  of  any  of  the  metals.  Indeed,  the  value  of  every  product  of  Mother 
Earth,  of  the  fields,  the  forest  or  the  mine  has  been  fixed  by  its  worth  in  gold. 
Hence  the  quest  of  gold  has  inspired  mankind  to  acta  of  heroism,  to  a 
search  for  knowledge,  and  to  a  resignation  to  hardship  and  privation  that 
have  given  to  Lht  explorer  and  prospector  a  character  scarcely  second  to 
that  of  the  heroes  of  the  battlefield  or  the  leaders  of  the  world's  senate<i. 
The  histoiy  of  the  human  race,  even  the  record  of  the  discovery  of  conti- 
nents, is  largely  a  history  of  the  search  for  the  yellow  treasure  in  its  hiding 
places  in  the  earth  or  among  the  elements  of  Nature.  Columbus'  voyage, 
which  gave  to  the  world  America,  with  its  California  and  now  its 
Klondyke,  was  but  a  search  for  gold.  Chemistry  is  only  the  offspring 
of  alchemy,  and  while  adventurous  spirits  were  daring  the  main,  suffering 
the  torments  of  the  tropics  and  the  gloom  of  the  wilderness,  the  hut  and  the 
cave  of  the  hermit — man's  first  laboratories — were  the  scene  of  other  labors 
and  privations,  and  all  in  the  search  for  gold,  gold,  whether  in  the  ground, 
the  water  or  the  air.  But  it  has  remained  to  our  own  day  to  witness  this 
quest  extended  to  the  region  of  eternal  snow  and  rewarded  among  the  gla- 
cial mountains  of  the  frozen  North. 


KLONDYKE  AND  CALIFORNIA 


1849  AND  1897. 


k 


As  we  are  inclined  to  measure  everything  by  comparison  the  discoveries  in 
the  Klondyke  region  and  the  already  world-wide  excitement  created 
thereby  naturally  recall  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  the  memor- 
able year  '49,  and  suggests  a  comparison  of  the  facts  and  conditions  exist- 
ing in  and  surrounding  the  two  regions  and  the  development  of  their  re- 
spective resources. 

Ir  '49  California  was  scarcely  nearer  to  the  civilization  of  the  then  ex- 


T 


10 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


isting  States  of  the  Union  than  Klondyke  is  to-day.  Though  the  climate  of 
California,  when  reached,  was  salubrious  in  the  extreme,  the  hardships 
of  an  overland  trip  of  more  than  three  thousand  miles  or  the  scarcely  less 
trying  voyage  "around  the  Horn,"  were  quite  as  apt  to  deter  the  "tender- 
foot" from  attempting  to  seek  fortune  among  the  Sierras  as  are  the  ex- 
treme cold  and  possible  privations  that  must  be  considered  by  the  gold- 
hunters  among  the  Alaskan  mountains.  But  there  were  brave  spirits  in 
'49,  who,  defying  every  danger,  flocked  to  the  promised  land,  and  realized 
not  only  their  wildest  dreams  of  wealth,  but  laid  the  foundation  of  one 
of  tlie  proudest  among  our  galaxy  of  States.  The  population  of  the  coun- 
try by  the  census  of  1850,  a  year  later,  was  but  20,000,000.  If  there  wei-e 
thousands  among  those  20,000,000  who  poured  into  California  in  '49,  how 
much  greater  the  influx  into  the  region  of  the  Klondyke  will  be  if  the 
same  ratio  of  enterprise  and  adventure  characterizes  the  70,000,000  Ameri- 
cans of  the  present  day.  The  first  news  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Cali- 
fornia was  months  in  getting  to  "the  States,"  and  it  was  even  months  later 
before  the  gold  f^v^er  had  become  really  epidemic  in  the  East.  With  the 
telegraph  and  cable  of  to-day  the  news  from  the  Yukon  has  already  en- 
circled the  globe  and  quickened  the  pulse  of  mankind  in  every  land  and 
latitude. 

There  have  been  gold  excitements  at  stated  periods  from  the  Eldorado 
of  the  Spaniards  down  to  Johannisburg,  but  none  that  has  arisen  so  sud- 
denly and  spread  so  rapidly  as  that  created  by  the  tidings  from  Klondyke. 
Nor  would  it  seem  that  the  future  of  this  excitement  can  be  even  con- 
jectured. And  perhans  the  reason  for  this  may  be  found  in  the  fact  that 
instead  of  the  fables  of  an  Eldorado,  the  reports  from  the  Yukon  have  been 
shewn  to  be  authentic  and  trustworthy. 


THE  GEOLOQY  OF  THE  YUKON  REGION. 


THE  "MOTHER  LODE"  AND  THE  GLACIAL  DEPOSITS. 


Under  the  caption  "How  the  Gold  Came  to  Klondyke  Placers,"  Professor 
George  Frederick  Wright,  of  Oberlin  College,  author  of  "Man  in  the  Glacial 
Period"  and  other  geological  works,  has  contributed  to  the  New  York  Jour- 
nal an  interesting  article  in  which  he  says: 

"The  discovery  of  gold  in  large  quantities  on  the  Yukon  River  is  by  no 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


11 


means  unexpected.  Eleven  years  ago,  the  last  word  I  heard  as  1  left  Juneau 
was  the  pledge  of  a  returning  tourist  to  meet  his  friend  the  next  Summer 
and  prospect  in  the  Yukon  region. 

"The  great  mass  of  gold-bearing  quartz  at  the  Treadwell  mine,  near 
Juneau,  was  what  might  be  expected,  and  at  the  same  time  what  might  b« 
the  limitation  of  the  supply.  For  more  than  ten  years  that  mine  has  fur- 
nished more  than  a  million  dollars  of  gold  annually,  but  it  is  not  like  ordi- 
nary quartz  mines.  It  is  rather  a  great,  isolated  mass  of  quartz  with  gold 
disseminated  all  through  it.     While  its  worth  is  great,  its  length  is  limited. 

"Little  is  known  about  the  geology  of  the  Yukon  River,  where  the  Klon- 
dyke  mines  have  been  found.  Being  placer  mines,  the  gold  may  have  been 
transported  many  miles.  The  means  of  transportation  are  both  glaciers  and 
rivers.  The  Klondyke  region  is  on  the  north  side  of  the  St.  Elias  Alps. 
Alaska  was  never  completely  covered  with  glacial  ice.  The  glaciers  flowed 
both  north  and  south  from  these  summits.  Dawson  and  Professor  Russell 
both  report  well  defined  terminal  moraines  across  the  upper  Yukon  Valley. 
The  source  of  the  Klondyke  gold,  therefore,  is  from  the  South. 

"  Placer  mines  originate  in  the  disintegratio"  of  gold-bearing  quartz  veins, 
or  mass  like  that  at  Juneau.  Under  sub-aerial  agencies  these  become  dis- 
solved. Then  the  glaciers  transport  the  material  as  far  as  they  go,  when  the 
floods  of  water  cany  it  on  still  further.  Gold,  being  heavier  than  the  other 
materials  associated  with  it,  lodges  in  the  crevasses  or  in  the  rough  places  at 
the  bottom  of  the  streams.  So  to  speak,  nature  has  stamped  and  "  panned  " 
the  gravel  first  and  prepared  the  way  for  man  to  finish  the  work.  The 
amount  of  gold  found  in  the  placer  mines  is  evidence  not  so  much,  perhaps, 
of  a  very  rich  vein  as  of  the  disintegration  of  a  very  large  vein. 

"The  "  mother  lode  "  has  been  looked  for  in  vain  in  California,  and  per- 
haps will  be  so  in  Alaska.  But  it  exists  somewhere  up  the  streams  on  which 
the  placer  mines  are  found.  The  discovery  of  gold  in  glacial  deposits  far 
away  from  its  native  place  is  familiar  to  American  geologists. 

"  I  have  encountered  placer  mines  in  glacial  deposits  near  Aurora,  in 
Southeastern  Indiana;  in  Adams  County,  in  Southern  Ohio,  and  near  Titus- 
ville,  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  where,  I  see,  there  is  a  new  excitement.  But 
in  all  these  cases  the  gold  had  been  brought  several  hundred  miles  by  glacial 
ice  from  Canada  or  the  region  about  Lake  Superior.  These  gold  mines  were 
near  the  edge  of  the  glacial  region,  where  there  had  been  much  assorting  ac- 
tion of  both  H'e  and  water. 

"  It  is  eviuent,  however,  that  in  Alaska  the  transportation  of  the  gold  has 
not  gone  so  far.  The  difficulties  of  this  transportation  into  the  Klondyke 
region  and  the  shortness  of  the  season  will  continue  to  be  great  drawbacks  to 
working  the  mines.  The  pass  north  of  Chilcoot  is  7,000  feet  above  sea  level 
and  but  a  few  miles  back  from  the  ocean.     There  is  no  possibility  of  a  road 


12 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


over  it.  But  from  Taku  Inlet,  near  Juneau,  readier  access  can  be  had.  This 
route  was  followed  by  Schwatka  and  Mr.  Hayes,  of  the  United  States  Geo- 
logical Survey,  a  few  years  ago,  and  has  been  partially  surveyed  with  refer- 
ence to  a  railroad  line,  and  reported  to  be  available.  The  only  other  Avay  la 
by  a  river  which  is  open  to  navigation  only  a  short  time  each  year  and  is  a 
great  way  around. 

"  The  general  climatic  conditions  on  the  north  side  of  the  mountains  are 
much  better  than  those  on  the  south  side.  On  the  south  side  the  snowfall  is 
enormous,  but  on  the  north  side  the  air  is  dryer.  Schwatka  and  Hayes  wenx; 
in  the  Summer  down  the  Yukon  Valley  about  to  the  Klondyke  region,  and 
from  there  struck  off  west,  passing  to  the  north  of  Mount  St.  Elias  and  down 
the  Copper  River.  Tliey  had  dry  weather  all  the  time,  in  which  camping 
was  pleasant,  while  Russell  the  same  season  was  driven  back  by  inclement 
weatlior  from  ascending  St.  Elias  on  the  south  side.  It  is  therefore  not  im- 
poasible  that  e"xplorations  southwest  of  the  present  gold  fields  may  be  carried 
on  w  ith  comparative  ease.  But  at  present  that  whole  region  is  bare  of  means 
of  subsistence. 

"  There  is  imminent  danger  that  many  will  get  in  there  before  Winter  with 
insufficient  means  and  starve.  An  English  missionary  and  his  wife  have  been 
in  that  general  region  for  many  years,  and  report  the  people  as  being  so  near 
the  verge  of  starvation  that  they  do  not  dare  both  to  Winter  in  the  same 
village  lest  they  should  produce  a  famine.  So  tliey  live  in  sepai'ate  villages 
during  the  Winter.  Eventually  the  reindeer  which  Sheldon  Jackson  is  intro- 
ducing into  the  lower  Yukon  region  will  be  available  both  for  transportation 
and  food,  being  much  superior  to  dogs  in  that  they  can  procure  their  own 
food.  But  for  the  present  every  necessity  must  either  be  packed  over  the 
Chilcoot  Pass  or  brought  around  by  way  of  the  Yukon. 

"  As  to  the  ultimate  yield  of  the  mines  or  the  prospect  of  finding  more,  we 
have  nothing  but  conjecture  to  go  upon.  The  geologists  who  have  visited  the 
region  were  not  the  ones  who  discovered  the  gold.  What  the  prospectors 
have  found  points  to  more.  The  unexplored  region  is  immense.  The  moun- 
tains to  the  south  are  young,  having  been  elevated  very  much  since  the  cli- 
max of  the  glacial  period.  "With  these  discoveries  and  the  success  in  intro- 
ducing reindeer  Alaska  bids  fair  to  support  a  population  eventually  of  sev- 
eral millions.  The  United  States  must  hold  on  to  her  treaty  rights  with 
Great  Britain  for  the  protection  of  our  interests  there.  If  England  accom- 
plishes her  unreasonable  designs  she  would  shut  us  off  from  all  communica- 
tion with  the  Klondyke  region  except  by  way  of  the  Yukon." 


^ 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


13 


THE  GREAT  GOLD   DISCOVERY. 


HOW  THE  FIRST  AUTHENTIC  NEWS  REACHED  US. 


Placer  mining  had  been  going  on  at  Circle  City  and  the  settlement  of 
Forty  Mile  for  some  time,  and  news  of  the  wonderful  productiveness  of 
the  mines  there  had  reached  the  United  States,  but  the  gold  fever  did  not 
become  pronounced  until  the  arrival  in  San  Francisco,  on  the  14th  of  July 
of  this  year,  of  the  steamer  Excelsior  with  forty  miners  and  gold  dust  val- 
ued at  over  $500,000. 

These  forty  miners  were  the  first  to  bring  the  story  of  the  almost  fabulous 
richness  of  the  new  Klondyke  mines  near  the  Upper  Yukon.  One  of  these 
miners,  J.  C.  Hestwood,  who  brought  home  $10,000  worth  of  gold  as  the 
result  of  two  months'  work,  had  this  stoiy  to  tell: 

"Circle  City  and  Forty  Mile  have  suffered  the  usual  fate  of  mining  camps 
which  have  petered  out,  only  these  camps  have  not  petered  out.  When  gold 
was  found  in  such  astonishing  quantities  on  the  tributaries  of  the  Klondyke 
the  whole  population  of  those  camps  moved  bodily  to  the  junction  of  the 
Klondyke  and  Yukon  rivers,  where  Dawson  City  is  established.  This  dis- 
trict, the  richest  placer  country  in  the  world,  was  discovered  by  an  old  hun- 
ter named  McCormiek,  who  has  a  squaw  for  a  wife  and  several  half-breed 
children.  McCormiek  went  up  in  the  spring  of  1896  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Klondyke  to  fish,  as  salmon  weighing  ninety  pounds  are  caught  where  this 
stream  meets  the  Yukon.  The  salmon  didn't  run  as  usual  and  McCormiek, 
yioc^ing  from  the  IndiauS  of  rich  placers  nearby  where  gold  could  be  washed 
out  in  a  frying  pan,  started  in  to  prospect. 

"Near  what  is  now  Dawson  City  he  struck  very  rich  pay  dirt  in  a  side 
hill.  As  soon  as  news  of  his  discovery  spread  men  from  Circle  City  and  Forty 
Mile  rushed  in.  The  richest  claims  are  in  Bonanza  Creek,  which  empties  in- 
to the  Klondyke  three  miles  above  Dawson  City.  There  are  three  claims  in 
that  district,  each  500  feet  long,  extending  clear  across  the  creek  on  which  it 
is  located.  No  one  can  file  an  additional  claim  until  he  has  recorded  his 
abandonment  of  his  old  claim. 

"In  the  adjoining  Bunker  district  there  are  200  claims.  The  two  districts 
have  been  well  prospected,  but  further  up  the  Klondike  is  much  territory 
which  has  never  been  travelled  over. 

"Old  miners  declared  that  the  north  side  of  the  Yukon  was  worthless,  so 
no  prospecting  was  done  until  McCormiek  started  in.  There  is  no  claim- 
jumping,  as  the  Canadian  laws  are  rigid  and  well  enforced.  The  rich  pay 
dirt  is  only  struck  near  bed  rock  and  this  generally  lies  from  eighteen  to 
twenty-five  feet  below  the  surface. 

"The  method  of  mining  is  to  remove  the  surface  mass,  which  is  eighteen 


14 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


inches  thick,  and  then  build  a  fire  which  burns  all  night.  In  the  morning 
the  gravel  is  shaved  down  about  two  feet.  This  is  shovelled  out,  and  an- 
other fire  is  built,  and  in  this  slow  and  laborious  way  the  ground  is  removed 
to  bedrock.  This  work  can  be  carried  on  all  winter,  except  when  the  mer- 
cury falls  below  60  degrees. 

"Dawson  City  is  a  booming  town  of  about  3,000  inhabitants  and  is  grow- 
ing every  week.  Provisions  were  scarce  and  dear  last  winter,  and  all  sup- 
plies are  costly.  An  ordi  -.ary  75-cent  pocket  knife  sells  for  $4,  and  shoes 
bring  from  $G  to  $8.  A  dog-sledgeloud  of  eggs  was  brought  in  last  winter 
from  Juneau.  About  lialf  were  sjxiilcd.  l)ul.  the  whole  lot  sold  readily  at  $4 
per  dozen.    Flour  sold  as  high  as  $1  a  pound." 

Mr.  Hestwood  showed  many  small  nuggets  from  the  new  Bonanza  Creek 
district,  wliere  his  mine  is  situated.  The  gold  is  the  color  of  brass,  and  is 
worth  $16  to  $17  an  ounce.  It  isn't  as  pure  gold  as  found  elsewhere  on 
the  Yukon. 


THE    GOLD     FEVER    SPREADING. 


THE  STORIES  OF  SOME  MINERS. 


The  stories  of  the  returned  miners,  telegraphed  from  San  Francisco  all 
over  the  country  and  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  on  the  evening  of  the  14th  of 
July,  were  what  started  the  gold  fever,  and  the  craze  to  go  in  search  of 
the  precious  metal  that  is  now  raging  from  one  end  of  the  country  to 
the  other.  Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  Excelsior,  the  half  million  dollars 
worth  of  yellow  dust,  which  ranged  in  size  from  a  hazelnut  to  fine  bird- 
shot  and  kernels  of  sand,  was  poured  out  on  the  counter  at  Selby's  smelt- 
ing works  on  Montgomery  street  and  then  shovelled  with  copper  scoops 
into  the  great  melting  pot.  Those  who  saw  t!  9  gold  in  one  heap  said  no 
such  spectacle  had  been  seen  since  the  days  of  '49,  when  miners  used  to 
come  down  from  the  placer  districts  and  change  their  gold  for  $20  pieces. 

The  luckiest  of  these  miners  are  Mr.  and  Mrs,  T.  S.  Lippey,  who  left 
here  in  April,  1896.  They  brought  back  $60,000.  They  went  in  by  way  of 
Juneau  over  the  divide,  and  Mrs.  Lippey  was  the  first  woman  to  go  over 
this  trail.  She  is  a  small,  wiry  woman,  with  skin  tanned  to  the  color  of 
sole  leather.  She  seemed  none  the  worse  for  the  hardships  of  Yukon  life. 
She  is  a  good  rifle  shot,  and  brought  with  her  the  antlers  of  a  moose  which 
she   had   shot. 

Hollinshead  and  Stewart,  two  miners,  who  had  been  at  work  for  a  year, 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


15 


had  1,500  ounces,  worth  about  $25,000.  Other  tenderfeet  had  done  better, 
for  in  a  few  weeks  some  of  them  had  cleaned  up  from  $10,000  to  $15,000. 
Several  of  the  men  had  bought  claims  on  time,  paying  a  small  sum  down 
and  agreeing  to  pay  all  the  way  from  $10,000  to  $25,000  in  three  to  six 
months.  Most  of  them  cleaned  up  enough  gold  in  a  month  to  pay  for 
their  claims  and  still  have  a  good  sum  left  over. 

When  the  men  arrived  in  San  Francisco  they  found  the  United  States 
mint  closed  for  the  day,  and  so  they  carried  their  sacks  of  gold  to  the 
office  of  Selby's  smelting  works.  They  were  weather-beaten  and  roughly 
dressed,  but  the  spectators  forgot  their  appearance  when  they  began  to 
produce  sacks  of  gold  dust  ranging  from  $1,000  to  $3,000  in  value.  Some 
of  the  sacks  were  regular  buckskin  bags,  well  made;  otliers  were  of  can- 
vas, black  and  grimy  from  long  handling  with  dirty  fingers.  As  fast  as 
the  bags  were  weighed  they  were  ripped  open  with  a  shaq)  knife  and  the 
contents  were  poured  out  on  the  broad  counter.  Then  some  of  the  miners 
produced  from  bundles  and  coat  pockets  glass  fruit  jsiTs  and  jelly  tumblers 
filled  with  gold  dust  and  covered  with  writing  paper,  carefully  secured  with 
twine.  It  seems  that  the  supply  of  gold  bags  ran  out  and  this  was  the  only 
way  to  bring  the  treasure  down. 

When  all  the  gold  dust  was  poured  out  it  made  a  nice  heap,  on  which 
the  spectators  gazed  as  though  fascinated;  but  the  smelting  men  calmly 
scraped  it  up  and  cast  the  yellow  dust  into  a  big  pot,  which  was  wheeled 
into  the  smelting  room. 

A  letter  from  one  of  the  officials  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company, 
at  Circle  City,  gives  this  account  of  the  great  rush  to  the  new  diggings: 

"The  excitement  on  the  river  is  indescribable,  and  the  output  of  the 
new  Klondyke  district  is  almost  beyond  belief.  Men  who  had  nothing 
last  fall  are  now  worth  a  fortune.  One  man  has  worked  forty  square  feet 
of  his  claim  and  is  going  out  with  $40,000  in  dust.  One-quai'ter  of  the 
claims  are  now  selling  at  from  $15,000  to  $50,000.  The  estimate  of  the  dis- 
trict is  given  as  thirteen  square  miles,  with  an  average  of  $300,000  to  the 
claim,  while  some  are  valued  as  high  as  $1,000,000  each.  A  number  of 
claims  have  been  purchased  for  large  sums  on  a  few  months'  credit,  and 
the  amount  has  been  paid  out  of  the  ground  before  it  became  due. 

"At  Dawson  sacks  of  gold  dust  are  thrown  under  the  counters  in  the 
stores  for  safekeeping.  The  peculiar  part  of  it  is  that  most  of  the  loca- 
tions were  made  by  men  who  came  in  last  year,  old-timers  not  having  had 
faith  in  the  indications  until  the  value  of  the  region  was  assured,  where- 
upon prices  jumped  so  high  tnat  they  could  not  get  in.  Some  of  the  stories 
are  so  fabulous  I  am  afraid  to  repeat  them  for  fear  of  being  suspected  of 
the    infection. 

"There  are  other  discoveries  reported  a  little  beyond  and  on  the  Stewart 
River  but  these  have  not  yet  been  verified. 


16 


THE  KLONDYKE  (J OLD  ISllNES. 


MILLIONS  OF  GOLD  PANNED  OUT. 


POOR  YESTERDAY— ROLLING  IN  WEALTH  TO-DAY. 


The  San  Francisco  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Sun,  who  saw  the 
arrival  of  the  Excelsior,  sent  to  his  paper  by  wire  a  graphic  description  of 
the  sensation  created.    He  said: 

"San  Francisco  has  not  been  stirred  by  any  mining  discovery  since  the 
opening  up  of  the  great  bonanzas  on  tlie  Conistock  Lode  in  Nevada,  nearly 
thirty  years  ago,  as  it  has  been  by  the  stories  of  two  score  sun-tanned  and 
hard-featured  miners  who  have  returned  from  the  new  Klondyke  camp  on 
the  Yukon  River  in  far  Alaska. 

These  stories  would  have  excited  derision  were  it  not  that  all  these  men 
were  able  to  furnish  ocular  proof  of  their  tales  with  pounds  of  yellow  gold. 
Not  one  of  the  party  went  into  this  camp  last  Fall  with  anything  more  than 
his  outfit  and  a  few  hundred  dollars.  Not  one  came  out  with  less  than 
$5,000,  a  dozen  cleaned  up  from  $10,000  to  $20,000,  while  half  a  dozen  aver- 
aged from  $20,000  to  $90,000.  Scores  of  them  left  claims  that  they  valued  at 
$20,000  to  $1,000,000,  which  are  now  being  worked  by  their  partners  or  by 
hired  laborers.  They  are  not  boasters  nor  boomers.  In  fact,  they  are  careful 
to  warn  any  one  about  venturing  into  the  Yukon  country  unless  he  is 
young,  vigorous  and  brave,  able  to  bear  hardships,  and  has  from  $500  to 
$1,000  for  outfit  and  current  expenses  after  reaching  the  new  gold  fields. 
Perhaps  it  is  these  very  conservative  views  which  have  made  their  talk  take 
such  powerful  hold  on  the  popular  imagination. 

All  returned  miners  agree  that  the  best  way  to  reach  the  new  gold  fields  is 
by  way  of  Juneau.  The  journey  is  mainly  by  land  over  a  snow-covered 
trail,  down  numerous  streams  and  across  lakes.  The  only  very  dangerous 
place  is  Chilicoot  Pass,  which  is  dreaded  because  of  the  sudden  snowstorms 
that  come  up  without  warning  and  that  have  proved  fatal  to  many  adven- 
turous miners.  The  distance  is  650  miles,  and  it  takes  an  average  of  twenty- 
five  days  to  cover  it. 

-Dawson  City  has  now  a  population  of  nearly  3,000.  It  is  beautifully  sit- 
uated on  the  banks  of  the  Yukon  near  the  mouth  of  the  Klondyke  River,  and 
seems  destined  to  become  the  mining  centre  of  the  Northwest  territory.  The 
people  now  live  in  shanties,  each  built  of  a  few  strips  of  weather  boarding 
and  canvas.  There  is  a  sawmill  in  operation  day  and  night,  but  it  cannot 
supply  the  demand  for  its  products.  Lumber  sells  at  the  mill  for  $150  per 
thousand,  but  when  delivered  at  mines  the  price  jumps  to  $450. 

One  of  the  peculiar  features  of  the  new  camp  is  the  lack  of  shooting,  due 
to  the  fact  that  the  Canadian  Government  does  not  permit  men  to  carry 
fiji'eanns.    Police  disarm  miners  when  they    enter  the  district,  so  that  'here 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


17 


IB  not  any  of  the  lawlessness  and  crime  which  marked  early  placer  mining  in 
California.     There  is  much  gambling,  and  play  is  high.       An  old  miner, 
Alexander  Orr,  who  spent  eight  Winters  in  Alaska,  but  will  not  retum,i 
said: 

"Dawson  is  not  like  most  of  the  large  mining  camps.  It  is  not  a  tough 
town;  murders  are  almost  unknown.  The  miners  are  a  quiet,  peaceable 
kind  of  men,  who  have  gone  there  to  work  and  are  willing  that  everybody 
else  shall  have  an  equal  chance  with  themselves.  A  great  deal  of  gambling 
is  done  in  town,  but  serious  quarrels  are  the  exception.  As  a  gambling  town 
I  think  it  is  equal  to  any  I  have  ever  seen,  and  this,  by  the  way,  ig  always 
the  test  of  a  mining  camp's  prosperity.  Stud  poker  is  the  usual  game. 
They  play  $1  ante,  and  often  bet  $300  or  $500  on  the  third  card." 

Orr  sold  out  his  claim  for  $20,000,  and  tlie  men  who  bought  it  made  the 
ptirchasd  money  in  four  months.  Perhaps  the  best  idea  of  Avhat  has  been 
ilione  in/  the  new  camp  can  be  gained  from  the  following  short  interviews 
with  returned  miners: 

William  Kulju  said:  "I  brouglit  down  just  1,000  ounces  of  dust  and  sold 
it  to  smelting  works.  I  worked  at  Eldorado  Creek,  near  Dawson,  and  was 
in  that  country  about  a  year,  and  had  a  couple  of  dollars  and  a  pack  last 
Summer  when  I  went  in.  I  sold  my  claim  for  $25,000,  part  cash  and  the 
balance  to  be  paid  as  it  is  taken  out.  Now  I  am  taking  a  trip  to  the  old 
country — Finland — and  am  coming  back  next  year." 

.  Fred  Lendeseen :  "I  went  to  Alaska  two  yeai-s  ago,  and  when  I  left  there 
six  weeks  ago  I  brought  $13,000  in  gold  dust  with  me.  I  have  had  consid- 
erable experience  in  mining,  and  say  without  hesitation  that  Alaska  is  the 
richest  country  I  have  ever  seen.  I  have  intei'est  in  a  claim  near  Dawson 
and  am  going  back  in  the  Spring." 

Greg  Stewart:  "I  had  a  partner  and  I  sold  out  my  interest  for  $45,000 
and  put  my  money  back  txgain  at  interest  in  mines.  My  partner  had  1,500 
ounces  of  dust,  but  it  fell  short  four  ounces  on  the  way  down.  The  dust 
will  go  over  $17  an  ounce,  but  we  are  all  waiting  for  returns  from  the 
smelting  works.  I  brought  a  few  hundred  ounces  with  me,  but  I  get  inter- 
est of  2  per  cent,  on  short  loans.    I  expect  to  return  next  Spring." 

John  Marks:  "I  brought  $11,500  in  gold  dust  with  me,  but  1  had  to  work 
for  every  bit  of  it.  There  is  plenty  of  gold  in  Alaska — more,  I  believe,  than 
the  most  sanguine  imagine — but  it  cannot  be  obtained  without  great  effort 
and  endurance.  The  first  thing  for  a  poor  man  to  do  when  he  reaches  the 
country  is  to  begin  prospecting.  As  snow  is  from  two  to  five  feet  deep 
prospecting  is  not  easy.  Snow  must  first  be  shoveled  away,  and  then  a  fire 
built  on  the  ground  to  melt  the  ice.  As  the  ground  thaws  the  shaft  must 
be  sunk  until  bed  rock  is  reached.  The  average  prospector  has  to  sink  a 
great  many  shafts  before  he  reaches  anything  Avorth  his  while.    If  gold  is 


JH 


TllK   KLOXDVKK  (lOLI)  MINKS. 


found  in   siifllciont  quanlilics  to  pay   for  \v(»rkiii<r,  he  may   bofjiii   (lriftin|» 
from  tlii;'  oliaft,  and  contiruic.  lo  do  so  as  lonjr  as  lie  findH  onou^Hi   ifold  to 

f  Txlliort.  Fox:  "1  and  partner  went,  into  tlic  district  in  18!).')  and  socurod  two 
. claims.  We  sold  ono  for  }H4r),0()0.  1  hrouplit  'M)0  ounoo.s,  wliich  netted  $."),00t). 
Kvoryl)ody  is  at  Dawson  for  tlio  present.  Tlio  district  is  apt  to  be  overrun. 
I  Mould  n't  advise  anyone  to  go  there  tliis  Fall,  for  i)eople  are  liable  to  go 
liunpry  before  spring.  ^\l)ont  800  went  over  the  summit  from  Junean,  GOO 
niilw,  so  there  may  not  be  food  enough  for  all."' 

Ifobert  Kooks:  "I've  been  four  years  in  Alaska.  I  had  a  half  interest  in  a 
claim  on  KIdorado  Creek,  and  sold  out  to  my  partner  for  $12,000.  I 
houglit  a  half  interest  in  a  claim  on  the  IJcmanza,  below  the  Discovery 
claim,  and  my  share  is  wortii  easily  .$ir).000.  I  brought  $14,000  in  gold 
dust,  and  shall  return  in  tlie  Spring,  aft^r  lest  and  recreation." 

J.  r..  Hollinsliead:  "I  was  in  the  diggings  about  two  years,  and  brought 
out  about  1, ")()()  ounces,  wliicli  I  su])pose  will  bring  $17  an  ounce.  I'm  not 
sure  about  going  back,  though  1  have  a  claim  on  (}o]d  Bottom  Creek,  fifteen 
miles  from  Monan/a.  It  is  less  than  a  year  since  I  located  my  claim.  My 
dust  will  bring  over  .^-J-'lOOO." 

M.  S.  Xorcross:  "I  was  sick  and  couldn't  work,  so  I  cooked  for  Mr. 
McNamee.  Still  I  luul  a  claim  on  the  IJonanza,  but  didn't  know  what  was 
in  it,  because  I  coiddn't  work  it.  I  sold  out  last  spring  for  $10,000  and  was 
satisfied  to  get  a  chance  k)  return  to  my  home  in  Los  Angeles.'' 

Tliomas  Flack :  "My  dust  will  bring  more  than  $0,000.  I  have  an  interest 
in  two  clain\s  on  the  KIdorado.  One  partner  sold  out  for  $r)0,000  and  an- 
other for  $.')r),000.  1  liad  an  otVcr  of  $r)0,()00.  l)ut  refused  it  just  before  I 
came  out." 

Thonuis  C(M)k:  "It  is  a  good  country,  but  if  tliere  is  a  rush  there's  going 
to  be  a  great  deal  of  suffering.  Ovei-  2.000  men  are  there  at  present,  and  2,000 
more  will  be  in  before  snow  falls.  I've  been  at  placer  mining  for  yeai'S  in 
California  and  British  Columbia,  and  the  mines  at  Daws(m  are  more  exten- 
sive and  beyond  anything  I  ever  siiw.  Last  year  I  did  very  well  at  Dawson. 
I  have  a  claim  worth  about  the  average,  they  say  from  $25,000  to  $50,000, 
on  Bear  Creek,  across  the  divide  from  the  Bonanza.'' 

Con  Stamatin:  "I  was  mining  on  shares  with  a  partner.  He's  still  there. 
We  worked  on  Alexander  McDonald's  ground  in  Eldorado  for  forty-five 
.days  and  took  out  $33,000..  ^^'e  got  50  per  cent,  and  the  other  half  went  to 
>IcDonald.    Then  we  divided  our  share,  and  I  came  away." 

All  miners  unite  in  saying  that  the  only  fear  for  the  coming  winter  is 
the  lack  of  supplies.  The  Alaska  Commercial  Company  promises,  however, 
to  send  in  all  that  is  needed.  Living  is  high  now,  as  may  be  seen  from  these 
qiiotations  of  prices  when  the  miners  started  for  home:  Floui",  $12  per  hun- 


THF-:   KF.ONDVKK  (iOIJ)   MINKS. 


19 


drcdwpiplit;  (following;  are  the  prices  per  pound)  iiioohc  liiim,  $1;  caril><)ii 
meat,  fio  oonts;  bcaiiM,  10;  rice,  2.');  snjiar,  2");  bacon,  40;  poUitwx,  25;  lui- 
nips,  15;  ooirco,  50;  dried  fruits,  ;J5;  tea,  $1;  tobacco,  $1.50;  butter,  a  roil, 
$1.60;  e^'fjs,  a  dozen,  $1.50;  sjilmon,  endi,  $1  to  $1.50;  canned  fruita,  50 
cents;  canned  meats,  75;  liquors,  jht  dvink,  50;  hIiovcIh,  $2.50;  picks,  $5; 
foal  oil,  per  jirallon,  $1;  overalls,  $1.50;  underwear,  per  suit,  $5  to  $7.5(>; 
8hoe.«!,  $5;  nibber  boots,  $10  to  $15. 

Miners  who  liave  reached  San  Francisco  do  not  act  like  people  who  have 
suddenly  jumped  from  poverty  to  comparative,  weaitii.  They  are  level 
headed.  They  went  to  the  best  hotels,  and  they  are  living  on  the  fat  of  the 
land,  but  tliey  do  not  throw  money  away,  and  not  one  stiirted  in  to  paint 
the  town  red.  They  liave  worked  so  hard  lliat  tiiey  a[)prpe<'iate  the  value 
of  money.  What  they  delifflit  in  most  are  tlieatres  and  other  amusements. 
They  say  no  one  knows  how  to  enjoy  these  if  lie  has  not  spent  a  yeiir  ii» 
Alaska.  Tlireequarters  of  tlic  miueis  will  return  in  the  Sprin}::;  when  tlicy 
are  well  rested. 


ARRIVAL     OF    THE     SECOND    TREASURE     SHIP    FROn    THE 

FROZEN  KLONDYKE. 


When  the  lirst  stories  of  the  fruitfulnes.s  of  the  "Far  Oil"  T^uur'  came  to  the 
cars  of  the  diildren  of  Israel  there  were  many  doubters,  but  when  those  who 
had  been  sent  to  spy  out  the  land  came  back  later  beariuj>  j^reat  bunches  of 
grapes  there  were  none  tluit  doubted.  So  \\  hen  the  Kxceisior  arrived  in  Sai» 
Francisco,  on  the  14th  of  'luly,  numy  may  have  tloubted  tlie  truth  ut  the 
btories  told  of  the  richness  of  tiie  lU'w  jiold  iields,  but  wlien,  three  days  lalx-r, 
the  Portland  steanu'd  into  Seattle  with  {lold  to  the  value  of  over  $1,0()(),(MI0, 
brought  from  the  region  of  the  Upper  Yukon,  no  one  who  saw  witli  their 
own  eyes  the  gold,  and  who  heard  with  tlieir  own  ears  the  tales  of  mineral 
riches  unsurpassed,  could  doubt  that  on  the  banks  of  the  Klondyke  had  been 
discovered  the  world's  greatest  gold  tieltls.  An  eye  witness  of  tlie  scenes  of 
the  Portlaud'H  arrival  thus  tells  the  story  in  the  New  York  Journal: 

(jiold  in  boxes,  gold  in  bags,  gold  in  blanket.s,  line  gold  and  coarse  gold, 
gold  nuggets  and  gold  dust,  the  yellow  treasure  of  the  Klondyke  diggings, 
came  from  the  far  North. 

A  ton  and  a  half  of  gold  was  a  part  of  the  load  of  the  steamer  Portland 
from  St.  Michael's,  Alaska,  and  with  the  3,000  pounds  of  gold  were  the  sev- 


20 


THIO  KLOXDVKK  COLD  MINKS. 


piul  ouiuTs,  sixty-eight  miners,  some  with  $5,(K)0,  some  with  $10,000,  »omc 
with  $50,000,  a  few  with  $100,000  and  over,  but  all  with  gold. 

Witli  the  piotiiKt  of  their  work  for  a  season  in  the  new  "diggings,"  the 
riciu'Ht  in  surface  gold  ever  discovered,  tiiese  miners  iiad  made  tlio  long  voy- 
age from  Dawson  City,  the  new  golden  town,  1,81)5  miles  down  the  Yukon  to 
St.  Michael's,  and  at  St.  Michuols  had  boarded  the  Portland  with  their  treas- 
ure, bound  for  homeland  and  intent  upon  clianging  their  dust  and  their  nug- 
gets into  the  minted,  milled  coin  of  their  country. 

On  the  voyage  the  gold  was  stored  in  the  captain's  state  room.  The  little 
safe  in  the  corner  was  packed  full  of  bags  of  gold,  and  the  remainder  tliat 
the  safe  would  not  hold  was  placed  in  three  boxes. 

When  the  steamer  came  to  the  port  the  miners  put  their  bags  on  their 
shoulders  and  walked  down  the  gang  plank  in  the  presence  of  a  vast  throng 
of  Seattle  people  assembled  to  see  the  great  pile  of  treasure  from  the  rich 
fields  of  the  far  North.  A  miner  with  only  $5,000  in  his  bag  easily  carried 
his  fortune.  Twenty  thousand  dollars  in  two  bags  is  a  good  load  for  any 
stalwart  man,  no  matter  if  he  has  worked  where  the  mercury  falls  to  sixty 
degrees  below  zero.  Two  men  used  all  their  strength  in  carrying  a  strapped 
l)lanket,  in  which  was  about  $50,000.  The  few  with  the  big  fortunes, 
$100,000  and  over,  had  to  hire  help  to  get  their  precious  possessions  to  a  safe 
place  of  storage  in  Seattle. 

1'he  greater  part  of  the  ton  and  a  half  of  gold  was  taken  from  the  ground 
during  tlirce  Winter  montlis.  Last  Fall  some  green  strangers,  "tenderfeet," 
fresh  from  the  comforts  of  civilization,  were  so  alwurd  as  to  give  no  heed  to 
the  advice  of  the  old  miners.  The  pioneers  of  the  Yukon  mines,  the  men  who 
know  Circle  City  and  Forty  Mile  Creek  and  all  the  suiTounding  country,  said 
there  was  no  use  looking  for  gold  "over  yonder  on  the  Klondyke."  But  the 
foolish  strangers  went  "over  yonder  on  the  Klondyke."  During  the  Fall  the 
news  reached  the  older  diggings  of  the  amazing  discoveries  of  gold  by  these 
absurd  tourists  from  the  South,  and  from  all  the  country  round  about  came 
the  rush  to  Klondyke. 

AVlien  gold  is  waiting  to  be  lifted  out  of  the  ground  cold  is  not  to  be  con- 
sidered. During  the  dark  Winter  days  the  temperature,  30  or  40  degrees 
below  zero,  the  quest  for  dust  and  nuggets  was  pursued  continually.  The 
product  of  the  work  of  some  of  tliese  Winter  miners,  defiant  of  the  cold,  is 
shown  in  the  treasure  brought  to  the  United  States  by  the  Portland  and  the 
Excelsior. 

The  greatest  fortune  gained  by  any  of  the  company  of  miners  is  the  honey- 
moon treasure  of  Clarence  Berry,  of  Fresno,  Cal.  He  brought  $135,000  in 
dust  and  nuggets.  In  1890  young  Berry  went  to  the  Yukon  country,  ana 
for  several  years  he  prospected  along  Forty-Mile  Creek  and  other  placer  fields 
without  success.    Last  Summer  he  returned  to  California,  mai-ried,  and  took 


:| 


Till::  KLONDYKi:  COLD  MINES. 


21 


his  bride  with  liim  to  the  North.  Instead  of  remaining  in  Ahiska  he  went 
over  tho  bo\indary  line  into  British  possessions,  and  on  the  Klondyke  he 
struck  the  richest  pocket  that  was  discovered,  lie  said  that  tho  principal 
part  of  his  $135,000  came  from  three  hundred  "box  lengths."  A  "box  length" 
is  fift«H'n  feet  long  and  twelve  feet  wide.  In  one  length  he  found  a  pocket  of 
$10,000.  In  another  length  was  a  nugget  weighing  thirteen  ounces,  next  to 
the  largest  found  in  the  diggings.  Mr.  Berry  deemed  his  fortune  sufficient 
for  the  present,  and  is  taking  his  bride  to  his  home  in  7resno,  where,  in  the 
July  temperature  of  110  above,  she  may  find  compensation  for  the  58  below 
of  January  on  the  Yukon. 

One  of  the  foolish  strangers  who  gave  no  consideration  to  the  advice  of  the 
old  miners  in  Frank  Phiscater.  Last  Autumn  he  went  from  Borada,  Mich., 
to  .  vlaska  and  thence  to  Klondyke.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  discover  gold 
in  the  fabulously  rich  placers  of  the  new  El  Dorado.  He  employed  nine  men 
and  in  three  months'  time  took  out  from  two  claims  $96,027.  He  still  owns 
the  claims,  but  having  nearly  $100,000  made  in  less  than  twelve  months  he 
deems  himself  entitled  to  a  trip  to  Michigan. 


A  FEW  OF  THE  PRIZES  WON. 


'iHEY  HAVE  MADE  THEIR  PILE  AND  BROUGHT  IT  HOME. 


Clarence  J.   Berry    $135,000 

W.    Stanley 115,000 

F.    Phiscater 92,000 

F.  G.  H.   Bowker 90,000 

T.  S.  Lippy    60,000 

K.    B.    HoUingshead 25,500 

R.    McNulty     20,000 

Wm.    Kulju 17,000 

Joe    Mamue 10,000 

James   McMann 15,000 

Albert   Galbraith 15,00C 

Neil   MacArthur 15,000 

D.   MacArtliur 15,000 

Per.   Anderson 14,000 

Robert    Krook 14,000 


ll^,i 


TlIK  KhONDVKK  iiOLD  MINES. 

Fred    Londossci- ^•^■••^^ 

Alexander  On    ^^'^^ 

V  1       M     I                                                                                                ....  11,500 

Jobn    Marksj ' 

Thomas    Cool< ^'^'^^ 

M.  S.  Nom-oss 10,000 

J.    Eniniorgcr 10,000 

Con    Stamatin ^--"^ 

AllKrt  Fox ''-lO^ 

Greg    Stewart    -"''^X^* 

J.  O.  Hestwood -T  OO*^ 

Thomas    Flac  )> ^•'^^ 

Louis  R  Rhoads ;'>,00O 

Fred    Rice -J-OOO 


SOHE  GRAPES   OF  ESCHOL  STORIES. 


RICHER   THAN    SFNBAD'S   VALLEY   OF   DLA:M0NF:)S. 


Among  the  Portland's  passengers  was  William  Stiinley,  of  Seattle,  for- 
merely  a  blacksmith,  who  went  into  the  country  two  years  ago  last  spring. 
He  returned  with  $115,000  in  gold  nuggets  and  dust.  His  claim  is  on  the 
Bonanza  Creek,  emptying  into  the  Klondyke  live  miles  above  Dawson 
City,  the  headquarters  of  the-  camp.  Clarence  Beriy,  formerly  a  farmer  of 
Fresno,  Cal.,  brouglit  back  seven  sacks,  containing  $135,000.  Clarence 
Ilerry,  of  Los  Angeles,  went  to  the  Yukon  in  1894. 

"My  luck  was  bad  for  ihvve  years.  Last  fail  I  came  out  and  marrieil, 
ami  when  I  went  bsick  I  heard  of  the  Klondyke.  I  was  early  on  the 
ground,  locating,  Avitli  other  parties,  three  claims  on  I'^ldorado  Creek.  We 
struck  it  rich.    That's  all  there  is  to  tell. 

"Last  winter  I  took  out  $130,000  in  thirty  box  lengths.  Another  time  the 
second  largest  nugget  ever  found  in  the  Yukon  was  taken  out  of  my 
claim.  It  Aveighed  thirteen  ounces  and  was  wor<^h  t'i213.  I  have  known 
men  to  take  out  $1,000  a  day  from  a  drift  claim,  i.^  course  the  gold  won 
found  in  pockets,  and  those  finds,  you  can  rest  assure<l,  were  very  scarce. 
I  woflld  not  advise  a  man  to  take  in  an  outfit  that  would  cost  less  than 
>500. 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


29 


The  country  I,,  wiia,  rough  and  full  of  hardships  for  those  unuaed  to 
tjie  rigors  of  Arctic  winter.  Jf  a  man  nuikes  a  fortune  he  is  liable  to  earn 
it  by  severe  hardships  and  suH'erings,  but  then  grit,  perseverence  and 
luck  will  probably  rc^ward  hard  work  with  a  comfortable  income  for  life." 

Henry  Anderson,  a  native  of  Sweden  and  well  known  on  the  Lound, 
void  a  one-half  interest  in  his  claim  on  Eldorado  Creek  and  lias  come  back 
to  Seattle  with  $4r).000  spot  casli,  the  proceeds  of  the  sale.  T.  J.  Kelly  and 
son,  of  Tacoma,  went  in  last  year  and  made  $10,000.  The  son  is  in  chai-ge 
of  the  claim  and  the  father  w  as  among  the  Portland's  passtmgers. 

Frank  Keller,  of  Los  An;^(.'les  was  one  of  the  Portland's  passengers.  ,Hc 
wont  in  last  year,  anined  during  the  winter,  and  la.st  year  sold  the  claim 
for  $35,000.  William  Sloat,  formerly  a  dry-g(M>ds  merchant,  of  Lanimo, 
B.  C,  sold  liis  claim  for  $52,000,  and,  with  the  gold  lie-  took  from  the  mine, 
tame  back  on  the  Portland.  Another  nnin  named  Wilkenson,  of  the  same 
city,  sold  his  claim  for  $40,000.  Frank  Phiscater,  of  Baroda,  Mich.,  re- 
turned with  $!)«,0{I0,  the  result  of  his  labors  in  Miles.  Capt.  Strickland,  of 
the  Canadian  mounte<l  police,  who  is  en  route  to  Ottawa  on  official  busi- 
ness, is  among  the  arrivals.     He  says: 

"When  I  left  Dawson  i'ity  about  a  month  ago  there  wore  about  800 
claims  staked  out  and  between  2,000  and  3,000  people.  We  can  safely  say 
that  there  was  $1,500,000  in  gold  mineil  last  winter.  Wages  in  mines 
were  $15  a  day.  and  tlie  sawmill  paid  laborers  $10  a  day  with  claims  now 
(Staked,  but  will  aflord  employment  for  about  5,000,  I  believe.  If  a  man  is 
strong  and  healtliy  and  wants  to  work  he  can  find  employment  at  good 
wages.  Several  men  worked  on  an  interest,  ov  what  is  termed  a  lay,  and 
during  the  winter  realized  from  $5,000  to  $10,000.  The  mines  are  from  :« 
to  100  miles  from  Alaska  boundary." 

J.    Kellar,    mIio    ])ronounced    it   the    richest   gold   country   in   the    world, 

said: 

•'It  was  08  degrees  Im'Iow  zero  last  winter,  and  the  ground  was  frozen  to 
the  depth  of  forty  fe(;t.  The  snow  doesn't  fall  to  any  great  depth,  three 
ieet  l»^:ng  the  greatest,  and  that  was  light  and  i\eecy  frost.  All  the  gold  is 
taken  out  of  gravel  by  thawing  in  the  sunnner.  There  are  nine  months  of 
winter.  W'e  left  Dawson  City  on  a  river  steamer  on  June  19,  and  were 
eight  days  reaching  St.  Michael's,  1,800  miles.  The  weather  in  Klondyke 
was  warm  and  sultry,  nui.-h  warmer  than  it  seemed,  and  mosquitos  were 
in  myriads.  They  are  in  the  water  one  drinks.  They  give  a  man  no  rest 
day  or  night.  1  am  satislied  to  stay  away  from  Klondyke,  although  I 
did  well. 

"It  is  a  horrible  country  to  ^ne  in,  but  it  is  extremely  healthy.  Every 
man  is  on  his  good  behavior,  and,  for  a  mining  country,  has  as  good,  or- 
derly, law-abiding  citizens  as  I  ever  saw.  At  present  there  is  no  prospect- 
ing going  on,  all  men  in  the  country  being  employed  at  $12  or  $15  a  day. 


.,J^*- 


24 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


or  are  working  on  their  own  claims.  There  is  a  big  country  open  to  pros- 
pectors." 

Tom  Cochrane,  a  grocery  clerk,  staked  one  of  the  Klondyke  miners  with 
$300  worth  of  supplies  eighteen  months  ago.  His  dividend  received  on 
the  Portland  was  $41,000. 

Victor  Lord,  a  western  Washington  logger,  spent  four  years  in  the  Yu- 
kon He  made  $10,000  last  winter  in  six  weeks  on  the  Klondyke,  work- 
ing a  claim  on  shares.  He  will  return  after  spending  the  summer  here. 
Alexander  Menzi(?,  of  Arizona,  was  a  miner  before  he  went  into  the  Klon- 
dyke this  spring.  He  located  two  claims  on  Indian  Creek,  and  after  three 
weeks'  work  brought  out  $7,000.  "I  have  mined  for  thirty  years  in  Cali- 
fornia, Arizona  and  Nevada,"  he  said  to-night.  "The  Klondyke  country  is 
richer  than  any  placer  district  in  the  world.  I  own  two  claims  on  Indian 
Creek  and  will  return  in  the  spring  in  time  to  sled  over  the  mountains  into 
Klondyke  from  Dyea." 

Harry  Olson  received  $60,000  for  his  interest  in  a  claim  on  Eldorado. 
His  wealth  is  in  sacks,  like  that  of  the  others.  He  is  a  California  fan.  :ir, 
ajid  left  for  his  old  home,  from  which  he  departed  three  years  ago. 

The  miners  left  Dawson  City  June  19  and  were  seven  days  on  the  trip 
by  steamer  down  the  Yukon  to  St.  Michael's.  After  another  week's  rest 
they  sailed  on  July  3  on  the  steamship  Portland. 

Inspector  Strickland  says  that  complete  order  is  maintained  in  the 
camp  by  the  Canadian  mounted  police  .Little  disorder  prevails,  but  this 
may  have  changed  since  the  departure  of  the  Portland  party,  as  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  sent  10,000  gallons  of  whiskey  into  the  camp  on 
Juno  1. 

There  is  a  great  scarcity  of  lumber  and  the  single  sawmill  is  kept  busy 
day  and  night  supplying  the  camp  with  lumber.  The  camp  is  a  typical 
specimen  of  the  frontier  (mining  village,  without  regular  streets.  It 
straggles  up  the  Klondyke  for  tkree  miles,  and  then  the  bouses  are  found 
at  intervals  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile. 


THE  STAMPEDE   FOR  THE  GOLD. 


THOUSANDS  JOIN  THE  EXODUS. 


To  say  that  the  news  from  the  north  brought  by  passengers  of  the  Ex- 
celsior and  confirmed  by  those  of  the  Portland  swept  over  the  Pacific  coast 
with  the  rapidity  of  a  prairie  fire  would  be  to  make  use  of  an  inadequate 
simile.  In  less  t  han  forty-eight  hours  hundreds  were  busy  arranging  their 
affairs  so  as  to  depart  by  the  first  steamer  for  the  new  Eldorado.     On  the 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


26 


18th  of  July,  only  four  days  after  the  arrival  of  the  Excelsior,  the  offices  of 
the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  in  San  Francisco  were  beseiged  by  men, 
and  even  women,  all  anxious  to  secure  a  passage,  and  on  the  same  day  it 
was  stated  by  an  officer  of  the  company  that  their  steamers  would  not  be 
able  to  carry  one-tenth  of  those  desirous  of  starting  from  that  port  alone. 
The  siime  official  estimated  that  before  the  end  of  the  month  the  number  of 
those  who  would  set  out  from  San  Francisco  would  reach  fully  5,000.  Hun- 
dreds with  means  sufficient  to  buy  tickets  and  outfits  fairly  tumbled  over 
each  other  to  secure  these.  Others  sought  capital  by  offering  one-half  their 
wiimings  to  those  who  would  stake  them.  Syndicates  were  speedily  formed, 
"grub  stakes"  ofTered  and  parties  of  tens,  twenties  and  even  hundreds  or- 
ganized for  the  venture.  The  reported  danger  of  famine,  even  the  warnings 
of  returned  miners  seemed  to  deter  no  one. 

While  such  was  the  craze  in  San  Francisco,  the  excittnnent  was  no  less  in 
Seattle,  Tacoma,  Portland  and  all  along  the  Pacific  coast.  Nor  did  it  end 
here.  The  same  excitement  swept  Eastward  and  prevailed  to  a  greater  or 
less  extent  everywhere.  The  press  of  the  country  gave  publicity  to  every 
scrap  of  news,  corps  of  correspondents  were  organized  and  "hurried  to  t'tie 
front,"  and  even  the  "special  artist  on  the  spot"  was  not  "left  out  in  the 
cold,"  whatever  he  may  suffer  when  he  reaches  a  latitude  where  the  mer- 
cury coquettes  with  the  80s.  and  90h.  below  zero.  All  sorts  of  advertise- 
ments from  all  sorts  of  people,  offering  almost  any  terms  and  conditions  to 
a  backer,  appeared,  and,  as  we  write,  are  still  appearing  in  the  daily  papers. 
The  one  subject  of  conversation  in  the  swell  clubs,  no  less  than  on  the  street 
corners,  is  the  news  from  Alaska  ,  and  the  region  of  the  Klondyke  and  the 
Yukon  River  have  suddenly  become  as  familiar  geographical  designations 
as  Brooklyn  or  the  Hudson. 

Perhaps  no  more  reliable  authority  could  be  given  as  to  the  great  re- 
sources of  the  Klondyke  and  the  excitement  prevailing  in  and  about  that 
region  than  Capt.  Francis  Tuttle,  commander  of  the  revenao  cutter  Bear. 
Writing  to  a  friend  in  New  York  from  St.  Michael's  on  the  Yukon  River, 
the  Captain  says: 

"The  days  of  '49  in  California  are  a  mere  side  show  compared  with  the 
excitement  in  the  Yukon  country.  Imagine  my  astonishment  on  reaching 
liere  yesterday  to  run  across  a  man  who,  last  September,  was  discharged  as  a 
deck  hand  from  a  steamer  on  Puget  Sound.  The  fellow  made  his  way  into 
Alaska,  worked  seven  months  on  the  Klondyke  and  has  now  reached  St. 
Michael's  with  $150,000  in  gold.  I  could  hardly  believe  my  senses,  but  there 
was  his  gold,  sure  enough. 

"As  I  write  St.  Michael's  is  full  of  miners  awaiting  an  opportunity  to  get 
down  to  Puget  Sound  and  to  California.  Nearly  every  other  man  of  thera 
has  $50,000  worth  of  dust,  and  there  is  not  a  man  here  with  less  than  $15,- 


26 


THE  Kl.ONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


000.  The  latter  are  referred  to  as  'poor  fellows'  who  have  been  hard  hit  with 
bad  luek,  and  it  seems  to  be  real  sympathy  that  the  more  fortunate  one'* 
show  for  these  $1.5,000  fellows. 

"The  deck  hand,  with  his  $150,000,  had  the  largest  amount  of  gold  of  any- 
one in  the  crowd.  The  whole  business  is  almost  incredible,  yet  one  must 
believe  what  he  sees. 

"It  is  enough  to  turn  the  mind  of  any  person,  and  particularly  when  one 
learns  with  what  comparative  ease  this  gold  is  mined." 

As  we  write  several  ste-amors  having  already  departed  from  various  Pacitie 
ports,  are  on  their  way  to  the  Yukon,  all  freighted  to  their  fullest  capacity 
with  gold  hunters,  provisions  and  mining  outfits.  Otliers  are  following  a* 
rapidly  as  they  can  bt;  outfitted,  and  scarcely  a  seaworthy  craft  available  for 
the  purpose  can  be  found  that  has  not  already  beon  brought  into  requisition. 
This  stream  of  humanity  that  has  suddenly  turned  northward  and  is  being 
constantly  swollen  as  it  pro<*eds  on  its  way  is  made  up  of  all  classes  of  men 
and  from  every  condition  in  life.  The  experienced  and  rugged  miner  is  ac- 
companied by  the  "tenderfoot."  The  soft-handed  clerk  falls  in  line  with  the 
tanned  and  strong-muscled  out-of-door  laborer.  Even  the  professional  man, 
has  abandoned  his  comfortable  office  for  the  miner's  hut.  The  first  steamer 
to  leave  numbered  among  her  passengers  the  venerable  poet  of  the  Sierras. 
Joaquin  Miller.  Another  steamer,  sailing  from  Seattle  on  July  22,  carried 
north  ex-Governor  ^IcCJraw,  who  for  many  years  was  president  of  the  First 
National  Bank,  of  Seattle;  Governor  of  Washington  for  four  years  ending 
January  last,  and  later  a  candidate  for  United  Stjites  Senator  to  succeed  W. 
S.  Squire.  Among  his  companions  du  voyage  Mere  Geuoral  M.  E.  Carr,  for- 
merly Brigadier  General  of  the  State  militia,  and  whose  law  practice  is  tht- 
largest  in  the  State  of  Washington,  and  Captain  A.  ,J.  Balliet,  at  one  time 
Yale's  greatest  oarsman  and  football  player,  who  also  leaves  a  handsome  law 
practice  to  seek  gold  on  the  Y^ukon. 


WHERE    THE    GOLD    IS    FOUND. 


HOW  IT  IS  REACHED  AND  MINED. 


Dr.  \A"illiam  H.  1 » ill,  one  of  the  curators  of  the  National  ]\Iuseum.  i? 
familiar  with  the  region  of  country  in  which  the  Klondyke  gold  fields  are 
located,  through  having  been  on  several  geological  expeditions  to  the  region 
in  Alaska  adjoining  the  gold  district,  and  says  that  in  his  opinion  the  reports 
from  there  probably  arc  not  exaggerated. 

"When  I  was  there,"  he  says,  "I  did  not  find  gold,  but  knew  of  it  being 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


27 


taken  out  in  profitable  quantities  for  fifteen  years  or  more.  It  was  first  disJ- 
tove'-ed  there  in  1800.  In  1880,  when  1  was  up  in  tluit  country,  the  first 
party  of  prospectors  who  have  made  mining  profitable,  startetl  out.  Tlie  gold 
is  found  on  the  various  tributaries  of  the  Yukon,  and  1  have  been  within  a 
comparatively  short  distance  of  the  Klondyke  fields.  1  made  one  trip  to 
Circle  City,  just  over  the  boundary  of  Canada. 

"The  gold  bearing  belt  of  Northwestern  Anu;rica  contains  all  ohe  gold 
fields  and  extends  into  that  part  of  British  Columbia  known  as  the  North- 
western Territory  and  Alaska.  The  Y'ukon  really  runs  along  in  that  belt  for 
-500  or  600  miles.  The  bed  of  the  nxain  river  is  in  the  lowlands  of  the  valley. 
"The  yellow  metal  is  not  found  in  paying  quantity  in  the  main  river,  but 
in  the  small  streams  which  cut  through  the  mountains  on  either  side.  These 
practically  wash  out  the  gold.  The  mud  and  mineral  matter  is  carried  into 
the  main  river,  while  the  gold  is  left  on  the  rough  bottoms  of  these  side 
streams.  In  most  cases  the  gold  lies  at  the  bottom  of  thick  gravel  deposits. 
The  gold  is  covered  by  frozen  gravel  in  the  Winter.  During  the  Summer, 
until  the  snow  is  a  melted,  the  surface  is  covered  by  muddy  torrents. 
When  the  snow  is  all  melted  and  the  springs  begin  to  freeze  the  streams  dry 
up.  At  the  the  approach  of  W^inter,  in  order  to  get  at  the  gold  the  miners 
find  it  necessary  to  dig  into  the  gravel  formation. 

"Formerly  they  stripped  the  gravel  oflf  until  they  came  to  the  gold.  Now 
they  sink  a  shaft  to  the  bottom  of  the  gravel  and  tunnel  along  underneath 
in  the  gold  bearing  layer.  The  way  in  which  this  is  done  is  interesting,  as  it 
has  to  be  carried  on  in  cold  weather,  w'hen  everything  is  frozen. 

"The  miners  build  fires  over  the  area  where  they  wish  to  work  and  keep 
these  lighted  over  that  territory  for  the  space  of  twenty-four  hours.  Then, 
at  the  expiration  of  this  period,  tlie  gravel  will  be  melted  and  softened  to  a 
depth  of  perhaps  six  inches.  This  is  then  taken  off  and  other  fires  built 
until  the  gold-bearing  layer  is  reached.  When  the  shaft  is  down  that  far 
other  fires  are  built  at  the  bottom,  against  the  sides  of  tlie  layer,  and  tun- 
nels made  in  this  manner. 

"Blasting  would  do  no  good,  on  account  of  the  hard  nature  of  the  material, 
and  would  blow  out  just  as  out  of  a  gun.  The  matter  taken  out  containing 
the  gold  is  piled  up  until  Spring,  when  the  torrents  come  down,  and  is 
panned  and  cradled  by  these.    It  is  certainly  very  hard  labor. 

"I  see  many  reasons  why  the  gold  fields  should  be  particularly  rich.  The 
streams  which  cut  through  the  mountains  have  probably  done  so  for  cen- 
turies, wearing  them  down  several  hundred  feet  and  washing  out  the  gold 
into  the  beds  and  gravel. 

"It  is  a  country  in  which  it  is  very  hard  to  find  food,  as  there  is  practically 
»o  game.     Before  the  whites  went  into  the  region  there  were  not  more  than 


28 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


:i(.U  natives.    They  liave  hard  work  to  support  themselves,  on  account  of  the 

scarcity  of  game." 

An  interesting  letter  telling  of  the  recent  trip  of  the  steamer  Excelsior  hivs 
I,«.n  xsrittcn  by  Captain  J.  F.  Higgins,  of  the  steamer,  to  a  friend.     He  says: 

"The  word  Klondyke  means  Deer  River,  and  the  stream  is  called  the  Rein- 
dvvv  River  on  the  charts.  It  empties  into  the  Yukon  fifty  miles  above  the 
Big  River.  The  geographical  position  of  the  juncture  is  76  degrees  10  min- 
utes north  latitude,  138  degrees  50  minutes  west  longitude.  Bonanza  Creek 
dumps  into  the  Klondyke  about  two  miles  above  the  Yukon.  Eldorado  is  a 
tributary  of  the  Bonanza.  There  are  numerous  other  creeks  and  tributaries, 
the  main  river  being  three  hundred  miles  long. 

"The  gold  so  far  has  been  taken  from  Bonanza  and  Eldorado,  both  well 
named,  for  the  richness  of  the  placers  is  truly  marvellous.  Eldorado,  thirty 
miles  long,  is  staked  the  whole  lengtli  and  as  far  as  worked  has  paid. 

"One  of  our  passengers  who  is  taking  home  $100,000  with  him  has  worked 
one  hundred  feet  of  his  ground  and  refused  $200,000  for  the  remainder,  and 
confidently  expects  to  clean  up  $400,000  and  more.  He  has  in  a  bottle  $212 
from  one  pan  of  dirt.  His  pay  dirt  while  being  washed  averaged  $250  an 
hour  to  each  man  shovelling  in.  Two  others  of  our  miners  who  worked  their 
own  claim  cleaned  up  $6,000  from  one  day's  washing. 

"There  is  about  fifteen  feet  of  dirt  above  bed  rock,  the  pay  streak  averag- 
ing from  four  to  six  feet,  which  is  tunnelled  out  while  the  ground  is  frozen. 
Of  course,  the  ground  taken  out  is  thawed  by  building  fires,  and  when  the 
thaw  comes  and  water  rushes  in  they  set  their  sluices  and  wash  the  dirt. 
Two  of  our  fellows  thought  a  small  bird  in  the  hand  worth  a  large  one  in  the 
bush,  and  sold  their  claims  for  $45,000,  getting  $4,500  down,  the  remainder  to 
be  paid  in  monthly  instalments  of  $10,000  each.  The  purchasers  had  no  more 
than  $5,000  paid.  They  were  twenty  days  thawing  and  getting  out  dirt. 
Then  th'  i  was  no  water  to  sluice  with,  but  one  fellow  made  a  rocker,  and 
in  ten  '  s  took  out  the  $10,000  for  the  first  instalment.  So,  tunnelling  and 
rocking,  m  y  took  out  $40,000  before  there  was  water  to  sluice  with. 

"Of  course,  these  things  read  like  the  story  of  Aladdin,  but  fiction  is  not  at 
all  in  it  with  facts  at  Klondyke.  The  ground  located  and  prospected  can  be 
worked  out  in  a  few  years,  but  there  is  an  immense  territory  untouched,  and 
the  laboring  man  wlio  can  get  there  with  one  year's  provisions  will  have  a 
better  chance  to  make  a  stake  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  world."' 


i 


I 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 
SOME   LARGE   NUQUETS. 


29 


THERE  ARE  MORE  WHERE  THEY  CAME  FROM. 


The  largest  nugget  yet  found  was  picked  out  by  Burt  Hudson  on  claim  Six 
of  the  Bonanza,  and  is  worth  a  little  over  $250.  The  next  largest  was  found 
by  J.  Clements,  and  was  worth  $231.  The  last  four  pans  Clements  took  out 
ran  $2,000,  or  an  average  of  $500  each,  and  one  of  them  went  $775.  Bigger 
pockets  have  been  struck  in  the  Cariboo  region  and  in  California,  but  no- 
where on  earth  have  men  picked  up  so  much  gold  in  so  short  a  time.  A 
young  man  named  Beecher,  came  down  afoot  and  by  dog  sledge,  starting  out 
early  in  March.  He  brought  $12,000  to  $15,000  with  him.  He  was  purser 
on  the  Weare  last  summer,  and  went  in  after  the  close  of  navigation  in 
October  or  September.  About  Dec.  15  he  got  a  chance  to  work  a  shift  on 
shares,  and  in  sixty  days  made  his  stake,  which  is  about  $40,000.  He  has 
purchased  a  claim  or  two.  You  will  find  more  gold  in  circulation  in  Daw- 
son than  you  ever  saw  in  all  your  life.  Saloons  take  in  $3,000  to  $4,000 
each  per  night.  Men  who  have  been  in  all  parts  of  tlie  v/orld  where  gold  is 
mined  say  they  never  saw  such  quantities  taken  in  so  short  a  time. 

The  diggings  around  Circle  City  and  in  the  older  places  are  rich  enough 
to  satisfy  any  ordinary  demand,  but  they  have  all,  or  nearly  all,  been  tem- 
porarily left  for  the  new  fields.  Thi°ire  are  probably  250  men  working  in  the 
mines  outside  Circle  City,  but  there  would  have  been  1,500  had  not  the  new 
strike  been  made.  Should  the  new  field  play  out,  which  is  a  thing  impos- 
sible, the  older  diggings  woul  be  returned  to  and  with  profit.  However,  the 
new  finds  are  not  going  to  play  out.  There  is  enough  in  sight  to  confirm  the 
belief  that  these  new  diggings  cannot  be  exhausted  in  ten  years.  Of  course, 
comparatively  little  gold  is  being  taken  out  now,  for  the  streams  are  too 
high,  but  there  is  much  that  was  drifted  and  piled  up  last  winter  that  is 
not  yet  washed. 


'1 


MILLIONS     UPON     MILLIONS     IN     SIGHT. 


WILLIAM  STANLEY'S  GRAPHIC  STORY. 


The  New  York  Journal  prints  this  story  of  William  Stanley:  Stanley 
is  one  of  the  fortunate  ones  who  returned  from  the  Klondyke  on 
the  Portland.  In  addition  to  his  present  fortune  he  is  interested  with  his 
son  and  two  New  Yorkers  in  claims  which,  he  says,  will  yield  $2,000,000. 
Stanley  is  a  married  man;  he  has  a  wife  and  several  children.  During  his 
absence  in  the  far  North  the  family  struggled  to  eke  out  an  existence,  for 


30 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  ailNES. 


everything  tliat  Stanley  liad  went  to  pay  liis  expenses  to  the  gold  fields. 
Stanley  is  well  on  in  years.  He  was  not  accustomed  to  hardships;  for  years 
he  conducted  a  little  book  store  in  an  out-of-the-way  business  corner. 

To-day  people  who  used  to  help  him  by  giving  10  to  15  cents  cannot  real- 
ize tliat  he  ia  wealthy.    Here  is  his  story: 

"I  went  to  the  Yukon  as  a  last  resort.  I  was  getting  old  and  I  had  no 
money  and  I  knew  that  I  would  never  get  any  unless  I  took  it  out  of  the 
ground.  It  was  a  year  ago  last  March  that  I  left  Seattle.  I  am  free  to  con- 
fess that  my  family  was  at  that  time  in  destitute  circumstances.  I  made 
for  the  Yukon.  I  liad  never  before  been  there.  I  knew  nothing  of  mining 
and  nothing  of  the  hardships  of  the  country,  and,  in  fact,  was  as  great  a 
"greeny"  as  ever  set  foot  in  the  great  gold  country  of  the  Northwest.  My 
Bon,  Samuel  Stanley,  went  with  me.    He  was  as  ignorant  as  his  father. 

"While  we  were  on  the  steamship  Alki,  which  took  us  to  Dyea,  we  met 
two  young  men,  Charles  and  George  Worden.  They  were  residents  of  Sack- 
ett's  Harbor,  N.  Y.,  and  had  come  West  in  search  of  gold.  Their  mother  lives 
back  in  the  old  home,  so  they  informed  me.  We  became  very  intimate  with 
the  Wordens.  They  knew  little,  if  anything,  about  the  country,  and  one 
day  in  conservation  one  of  us  suggested  that  we  form  a  company  and  do  our 
work  on  the  syndicate  plan,  each  man  to  share  and  share  alike.  We  wan- 
dered thr«yugh  the  Yukon  districts  for  several  months  and  were  getting  dis- 
couraged, because  there  seemed  to  be  nothing  for  us.  We  met  other  men 
who  were  getting  rich,  but  we  grew  poorer  as  tb  ^  days  came  and  went.  Once 
we  had  about  concluded  to  go  back. 

"It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  last  September  that  we  befriended  a  man 
who  gave  us  a  tip  as  to  the  riches  of  the  Klondyke.  We  were  willing  to  be- 
lieve anything,  and  made  for  the  Klondyke  at  once.  At  that  time  we  were 
en  route  for  Forty  Mile  Creek.    We  were  then  at  Sixty  Mile. 

"The  first  thing  we  did  when  we  reached  the  Klondyke  was  to  spend  a 
little  time  at  the  mouth  of  the  stream.  We  were  there  just  twenty-four 
hours  when  the  little  steamer  Ellis  arrived  with  150  excited  miners  aboard. 
They  had  just  heard  the  good  news,  and  on  their  arrival  they  made  a  rusk 
for  the  richest  spots  on  Bonanza  and  Eldorado  creeks.  ^ 

"We  went  to  Eldorado  Creek  and  made  locations  on  what  were  called 
Claims  Twenty-five,  Twenty-six,  Fifty-three  and  Fifty-four.  I  think  it 
was  in  October  that  we  made  our  locations.  We  worked  Claims  Twenty- 
five  and  Twenty-six,  and  were  very  soon  satisfied  that  we  had  a  fine  thing, 
and  went  to  work  to  make  preparations  for  a  long  winter  of  experiences  and 
hardships.  We  got  all  we  wanted  before  spring.  Every  man  put  in  his  time 
sinking  prospect  holes  in  the  gulch. 

"I  tell  the  simple  truth  when  I  say  that  within  three  months  we  took  from 
ilic  two  claims  the  sum  of  $112,000.    A  remurkable  thing  about  our  findings 


i 


TilK  KI.ONDVKK  (lOJj:)  MINKS. 


»1 


1  » 


is  that  in  taking  this  enovnioua  sinii  wo  drift  np  anil  down  stream,  nor  did 
we  cross-cut  the  pay  streaks. 

"Of  course,  we  may  be  wrong,  but  this  is  the  way  we  are  tigiu-ing,  anil 
we  are  so  certain  that  what  we  say  is  true  tluit  we  would  not  sell  out  for  a 
million.  In  our  judgment,  based  on  close  figuring,  there  are  in  the  two 
claims  we  worked,  and  Claims  No.  5.']  and  No.  54,  $1,000  to  tlie  lineal  foot. 
1  say  that  in  four  claims,  we  ha\e  at  tiie  very  leaiit  $2,(KW,000,  which  cai* 
be  taken  out  without  any  great  work. 

"I  want  to  say  that  I  believe  there  is  gold  in  every  creek  in  Alasl-'a.  Cer' 
tainly  on  the  Klondyke  the  claims  are  not  spotted.  One  seems  to  be  as  good 
as  another.  It's  gold,  gold,  gold  all  over.  It's  yards  wide  and  yards  deep, 
1  say  so,  because  I  have  been  there  and  have  the  gold  to  show  for  it.  All 
you  have  to  do  is  to  run  a  hole  down,  and  there  you  lind  plenty  of  goM 
dust.  I  would  say  that  our  pans  on  the  P^ldorado  claims  will  average  $J, 
some  go  as  high  as  $150,  and,  believe  me,  when  1  say  that,  in  five  pans,  I 
have  taken  out  as  high  as  $750  and  sometimes  more.  I  did  not  pick  the 
pans,  but  simply  put  them  against  my  breast  and  scooped  the  dirt  off  the 
bed  rock. 

"Of  course,  the  majority  of  those  on  the  Klondyke  have  done  much  figur- 
ing as  to  the  amount  of  gold  the  Klondyke  will  yield.  Many  times  we  fel- 
lows figured  on  the  prospects  of  the  Eldorado.  1  would  not  hesitate  much 
about  guaranteeing  $21,000,000,  and  should  not  he  surprised  a  bit  if  $25,- 
000,000,  or  even  $30,000,000,  was  taken  out. 

"Some  people  will  tell  you  that  the  Klondyke  is  a  marvel,  and  there  wifi! 
never  be  a  discovery  in  Alaska  which  will  compare  with  it.  I  don't  believe' 
it.  I  think  that  there  will  be  a  number  of  new  creeks  discovered  that  wilt 
make  wonderful  yields.  Why,  Bear  Gulch  is  just  like  Eldorado.  Bear  Gulcb 
has  a  double  bed  rock.  Many  do  not  know  it,  but  ifs  a  fact,  and  miners 
who  are  acquainted  with  it  will  tell  you  the  same  thing. 

"The  bed  rocks  are  three  feet  apart.  In  the  lower  bed  the  gold  is  as  black 
as  a  black  eat,  and  in  the  upper  bed  the  gold  is  as  bright  as  any  you  ever 
saw.  We  own  No.  10  claim,  below  Discovery,  on  Bear  Gulch,  and  also  Nos. 
20  and  21  on  Last  Chance  Gulch,  above  Discovery.  ^Ve  prospected  for  three 
miles  on  Last  Chance  Gulch,  and  could  not  tell  the  best  place  to  locate  the 
Discovery  claim.  The  man  making  a  discovery  of  the  creek  is  entitled  by 
law  to  stake  a  claim  and  take  an  adjoining  one,  or,  in  other  words,  twc? 
claims;  so  you  see  he  wants  to  get  in  a  good  location  on  the  creek  or  gulchi 
Hunker  Gulch  is  highly  looked  to.  I  think  it  will  prove  another  great  di8> 
trict,  and  some  good  strikes  have  also  been  made  on  Dominion  Creek.  In- 
dian Creek  is  also  becoming  famous. 

"What  are  we  doing  with  all  the  money  we  take  out? 

"Well,  we  paid  $45,000  spot  cash  for  a  half  interest  in  Claim  32,  Eldorado. 


32 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


We  also  loaned  $5,000  eacli  to  four  parties  on  Eldorado  Creek,  taking  mort- 
gages on  their  claims,  so  you  see  we  are  well  secured. 

"No,  I  do  not  want  any  better  security  for  my  money  than  Eldorado 
cliiinis,  thank  you.    I  only  wish  I  had  a  mortgage  on  the  whole  creek. 

"We  had  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in  securing  labor  in  prospecting  our  prop- 
erties. Old  miners  would  not  work  for  any  price.  We  could  occasionally 
rope  in  a  greenhorn  and  get  him  to  work  for  a  few  days  at  $15  a  day.  Six 
or  eight  minors  worked  on  shares  for  us  about  six  weeks,  and  we  settled.  It 
developed  that  they  had  earned  in  that  length  of  time  $5,300  each.  That 
was  pretty  good  pay,  wasn't  it?  We  paid  one  old  miner  $12  for  three  hours' 
work  and  offered  to  continue  him  at  that  rate,  but  he  would  not  have  it, 
and  he  went  out  to  hunt  a  claim  of  his  own.  My  son,  Samuel,  and  Charles 
Worden  are  in  charge  of  our  interests  in  Alaska.  George  Worden  and  I  came 
out,  and  we  will  go  back  in  March  and  relieve  them.  Then  they  will  come 
out  for  a  spell.  George  goes  from  here  to  his  home  in  New  York  State  to 
make  his  mother  comfortable. 

"I  am  an  American  by  birth,  but  of  Irish  parents.  I  formerly  lived  in 
Western  KanLas,  but  my  claim  there  was  not  quite  as  good  as  the  one  I 
staked  out  on  the  Eldorado  Creek." 


HOW  TO  GET  THERE. 


III 

I'ii'iiii 


CHOICE  OF  TWO  ROUTES. 


There  are  two  routes  either  of  which  can  be  taken  to  the  Klondyka.  The 
best  but  the  most  expensive  is  by  steamer  from  Seattle  to  St.  Michael's,  and 
then  by  river  boat  up  the  Yukon  1,700  miles  to  Daw^son  City.  By  this  route 
it  takes  thirty-five  to  forty  days,  and  the  fare  is  $180.  The  steamers  permit 
only  150  pounds  of  baggage  for  each  passenger.  Two  steamers  that  will 
leave  before  the  river  is  closed  by  ice  cannot  carry  more  than  150  passengers 
each.  The  other  route  is  by  land  by  way  of  Juneau.  The  passenger  goes 
from  Seattle  to  Juneau.  There  at  this  season  all  packs  must  be  carried  on 
the  back  or  on  mules.  When  snow  falls  sleCjTes  can  be  used  and  the  trip 
can  be  mude  much  more  easily.  The  distance  is  650  miles.  This  trip  is  thus 
described : 

"Leaving  Juneau  you  go  to  Dyea  by  way  of  Lime  Canal,  and  from  there 
to  Lake  Lindermann,  thirty  miles  on  foot,  or  portage,  as  we  call  it.  The  lake 


''f, 


\^ 


THE  KLONDYKK  GOLD  MINES. 


;{3 


gives  you  a  ride  of  live  or  six  miles,  unci  then  follows  anotluT  loii^jf  journey 
overland  to  the  headwaters  of  Lake  Uennett,  which  i..  tweiity-oight  iniUn 
long.  On  foot  you  go  again  for  several  miles,  and  then  the  caribou  crossing 
of  the  river  furnishes  transportation  for  four  miles  to  Tagish  Lake,  whore 
another  twenty-one-mile  boat  ride  may  be  had. 

"This  is  followed  by  a  weary  stretch  of  mountainous  countiy,  and  then 
Marsli  or  Mud  Lake  is  reached.  You  get  another  boat  ride  of  twenty-four 
miles,  and  then  go  down  the  creek  for  twenty-seven  miles  to  ^Miles  Canon 
and  to  White  Horse  Kapids. 

"This  is  one  of  the  most  dangerous  places  on  the  entire  route,  and  should 
be  a\oitled  by  all  strangers.  The  stream  is  full  of  sunken  rocks  and  runs 
M-ith  the  speed  of  a  mile  race.  Passing  White  Horse  Rapids  the  journey  is 
down  the  river  for  thirty  miles  to  Lake  Labarge,  where  thirty-one  miles  of 
navigable  water  is  found.  Another  short  portage  and  Lous  River  is  reached, 
vhiw.  you  have  a  200-mile  journey,  which  brings  you  to  Fort  Selkirk. 

"At  this  point  Polly  and  Lous  rivers  come  together,  forming  the  Yukon. 
From  that  point  on  is  practically  smooth  sailing,  though  the  stranger  must 
be  e.vteedingl/  careful.'' 

¥ov  some  time  past  a  number  of  local  and  English  companies  have  been 
studyino  llie  lay  of  the  land  between  Chilkat  and  Circle  City  with  a  view  to 
csiiiblLsliing  a  quicker,  and  more  practicable  way  of  transportation  to  the 
gold  fields  along  the  Yukon.  Goodall,  Perkins  &  Co.,  of  New  York  have 
made  a  thorough  investigation  of  the  matter,  and  Capt.  Chas.  M.  Goodall 
of  that  firm  says: 

"The  rich  find  in  the  Klondyke  district  will  probably  result  in  some  better 
luf.ans  of  transportation,  though  the  roughness  of  the  country  and  the  lim- 
ited open  season  will  not  justify  anybody  in  building  a  railroad  for  any  dis- 
tance. Recently  we  sent  several  hundred  sheep  and  cattle  to  Juneau,  and 
from  there  to  the  head  of  navigation  by  the  steamer  Alki.  Mr.  Dalton,  who 
discovered  the  trail  across  the  country  from  the  Chilkat  River  to  Fort  Sel- 
kirk, is  taking  live  stock  to  the  mines.  His  route  lies  from  the  head  of 
navigation  through  Cliilkoot  Pass  and  along  the  trail,  which  is  over  prairie 
several  hundred  miles,  to  the  Yukon  River,  near  Fort  Selkirk.  At  this  time 
of  year  the  prairie  is  clear  and  bunch  grass  grows  on  it  in  abundance. 

"I  believe  this  will  ultimately  be  the  popular  route.  People  could  go  over 
it  in  wagons,  as  the  prairie  is  level.  Stations  could  be  established,  as  was 
done  on  our  plains  in  '49.  It  would  be  easy  to  go  down  the  Yukon  in  boats 
from  where  Dalton's  trail  strikes  it  to  Dawson  City  and  other  mining 
camps. 

"The  plan  to  build  a  traction  road  over  Chilkoot  Pass  from  Dyea,  the  head 
of  navigation  after  leaving  June  .u,  to  Lake  Linderman,  is  not  a  good  busi- 
ness proposition.  It  has  been  talked  of,  and  the  rest  of  the  plan  is  to  have 


i 


3« 


TFirO  KLONDYKK  (JOLD  MINES. 


Htejimcrs  to  ply  from  I^ike  Liiulcrman  through  the  other  lake45  to  the  Yukon. 
]\\\i.  to  do  this  two  portages  would  have  to  be  made  on  account  of  the  falls 
in  tlio  river,  and  these  would  be  enormously  expensive. 

"A  British  i'onipany  hus  had  in  eontemplation  for  some  time  the  con- 
struction of  a  riiilroad  from  tiio  liead  of  navigation  on  Taku  Inlet,  near  J:i- 
neau,  to  Teslin,  or  Aklene  hake,  and  thence  down  some  small  rivers  to  the 
'N'nkoii  and  tlie  mines.  Kven  by  this  route  there  would  be  need  of  portages, 
'I'he  natural  way  to  take  in  freight,  unless  the  hurry  be  great,  is  by  St. 
Michael  and  uj)  the  Yukon.  To  establish  even  a  wagon  road  over  Dalton's 
Trail  on  tlie  i)rairie,  a  railroad  over  the  divide  from  Dyea  to  Lake  Linder- 
man,  or  a  railroad  as  planned  by  the  English  company,  concessions  would 
have  lo  be  secured  from  the  British  Government." 


t 


FROn  SAN   FRANCISCO  TO  THE  MINES. 


OCEAN  KOUTE. 


Milefi. 
To  St.    Michael's 2  850 

To  Circle  City 4  350 

To  Forty    Mile 4  qqq 

To    Klondyko    4'650 

OVERLAND  ROUTE. 

Miles. 
To  Juneau   (by  steamer) 2  680 

J  uneau  to  Chilkat g^ 

Juneau  to  Dyea jqq 

Juneau  to  head  of  navigation jQg 

Juneau  to  summit  c*  Cliilcoot  Pass j  j4 

Juneau  to  head  of  Lake  Linderman j2S 

Juneau  to  foot  of  Lake  Linderman jqt 

Juneau  to  head  of  Lake  Bennot Igc 

Juneau  to  foot  of  Takish  Lake J73 

Juneau  to  head  of  Like  Marsh jyg 

Juneau  to  head  of  canyon  ^ox 

Juneau  to  head  of  White  Horse  Rapids 225 


THK  KLONUVKK  C;iULU  MINE8.  S» 

Mil«fl. 

Juiioau  to  Talikccna    River 240 

J  uneau  to  head  of  I^ake  Leburge *^56 

Juneau  to  f(X)t  ot  Lake  Lebarge -8* 

Juneau  to  llotalinqua    Kiver '*18 

Juneau  to  13ig  Salmon  River   '^^ 

Juneau  to  Little  Salmon  River ^86 

Juneau  to  Five  Fingers  Rapids '*'** 

Juneau  to  Rink  Rapids *^^ 

Juneau  to  W  ikite   River ^8* 

Juneau  to  Stewart   iver *^ 

Juneau  to  Sixty-Mile   Poat <^2* 

Juneau  to  Lawson  City ^^^ 

Juneau  to  Forty-Mile    Post ^28 

Juneau  to  Circle   City **5)8 

Forty-Mile  to  diggings  at  Miller  Creek 70 

Circle  City  to  diggings  at  Birch  Creek 50 

Klondyke  to  diggings ° 


PERILS  OF  THE  TRIP. 


ENCOUNTERS  WITH  THE  ICE  AND  SNOW  IN  THE  PASSES  TO  THE 

UPPER  YUKON. 


A  letter,  written  to  the  San  Francisco  Examiner  by  Edgar  A.  Mizner,  gives 
a  graphic  picture  of  life  in  tlie  Klondyke  region  and  the  hardships  and  perils 
that  the  miner  may  expect  to  meet  and  undergo.  He  is  at  present  the  agetat 
of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  there.  He  set  out  from  Seattle  for  the 
Yukon  in  March  last.  He  had  had  mining  experience  before,  having  been 
frozen  in  one  Winter  on  the  Pend  d'Oreille.  Mizner  Mountain,  over  against 
the  Kootenai  country,  is  named  for  him,  his  prospecting  pick  being  the  first 
to  find  pay  ore  there. 

From  a  camp  on  the  ice  of  Lake  Bennett  he  wrote  on  May  C : 

"It  is  nearly  two  months  since  I  left  you,  and  if  I  have  not  forgotten  you 

altogether  it's  not  the  fault  of  the  trip,  for  surely  it's  the  devil's  own.    The 

man  who  wants  the  Yukon  gold  should  know  what  he  is  going  to  tackle 

before  he  starts.    If  there  is  au  easy  part  of  the  trip  I  haven't  struck  it  yet. 


■Hi 


3C 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


"Kigl.t  of  11.  MKul..-  tlie  trip  from  Juneau  to  Dyea,  100  miles,  on  the  little 
steam"  iauncli  Alert.  The  steamer  Mexico  reached  Dyea  the  same  morning 
u  ith  423  men.  As  slie  drew  so  mucli  water  she  had  to  stay  about  three  miles 
ol\  shore  and  land  her  passengers  and  freight  as  best  she  might  in  more  or 
less  inaccessible  places  on  the  rocky  shores. 

"Then  up  came  the  twenty-two-foot  tide  and  many  poor  fellow  s  saw  their 
entire  outfits  swept  into  the  sea.  The  tide  runs  there  like  the  Fundy  race. 
At  Dyea  there  were  but  two  houses,  a  store  and,  of  course,  a  saloon.  So 
when  we  landed  on  the  beach  and  got  out  on  the  snow  and  ice  we  had  to 
"rustle"  for  ourselves.     We  luive  kept  on  "rustling"  for  ourselves  from  that 

on. 

"We  camped  the  first  niglit  at  Dyea.  It  is  a  most  enjoyable  thing,  this 
making  camp  in  the  snow.  First  you  nnist  shovel  down  from  three  to  six 
feet  to  find  a  solid  crust.  Then  you  must  go  out  in  the  snow  up  to  your 
neck  to  find  branches  with  which  to  nuxke  a  bed,  and  then  comes  the  hunt 
for  a  dead  tree  for  firewood.     Dinner  is  cooked  on  ^  small  sheetiron  stove. 

"Always  keep  an  eye  on  the  'grub,'  especially  the  bacon,  for  the  dogs  are 
like  so  many  ravenous  wolves,  and  it  is  not  considered  just  the  proper  thing 
to  be  left  without  anything  to  eat  in  this  frostbitten  land.  At  night  it  v.; 
necessary  to  tie  up  the  sacks  of  bacon  in  the  trees  or  build  trestles  for  them. 
But  to  the  trip. 

"The  second  day  we  w ent  up  Dyea  canon.  It  is  only  three  miles  long,  but 
spems  fully  tliirty.  This  is  true  of  all  distances  in  this  country.  About  one 
hundred  pounds  is  about  all  a  man  wants  to  pull  in  this  canon,  as  the  way 
is  steep"  and  the  ice  slippery.  So  camps  must  be  made  short  distances  apart, 
as  you  have  to  go  over  the  trail  several  times  in  bringing  up  your  outfit. 
Remember,  an  ordinary  outfit  weiglis  from  500  to  800  pounds,  and  some  of 
them  much  more. 

"But  the  summit  of  Chilcoot  Pass— thafj  the  place  that  puts  the  yellow 
fear  into  many  a  man's  heart.  Some  took  one  look  at  it,  sold  ^heir  outfits 
for  what  they  would  bring  and  turned  back.  This  pass  is  over  the  ridge 
which  skirts  the  coast.  It  is  only  about  1.200  feet  from  base  to  top,  but  it 
is  almost  straight  up  and  down — a  sheer  steep  of  snow  and  ice.  There  is  a 
blizzard  blowing  there  most  r-i  the  time,  and  when  it  is  at  us  height,  no  man 
may  cross.  For  days  at  a  time  the  summit  is  impassable.  An  enterprising 
man  named  Burns  has  rigged  a  windlass  and  cable  there,  and  with  this  he 
hoists  up  some  freight  at  a  cent  a  pound.  The  rest  is  carried  over  on  the 
backs  of  Indians.  We  were  detained  ten  days  waiting  our  turn  to  have  our 
outfits  carried  over  and  foi  favoring  weather. 

"After  going  about  three  miles  up  a  dark  canon  a  whirling  snow  storm 
struck  us.  But  having  risen  at  such  an  unconscionable  hour  we  would  not 
turn  back.    Our  pride  was  near  the  end  of  us.    I  hope  I  may  never  experi- 


< 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES.  37 

ence  such  another  day.  The  air  was  so  filled  with  snow  that  at  tinuis  it  was 
impossible  to  see  ten  feet.  It  was  all  we  could  do  to  keep  our  feet  against 
the  wind  which  howled  down  tbo  mountain.     My  beard  became  a  mass  of  ice. 

"The  trail  was  soon  obliterated  and  ws  were  lost.  But  we  stumbled  on 
and  by  a  rare  chance  we  came  upon  the  handle  of  a  shovel  which  marked  our 
cache.  There  was  nothing  to  do  but  fight  our  way  back  to  camp.  'I'l>e 
storm  did  not  abate  in  the  slightest.  In  fact,  it  raged  for  four  long  days.  It 
was  nearly  dark  when  with  knocking  knees  we  got  back  to  camp,  more  dead 
than  alive. 

"The  next  day  ten  men  made  up  a  party  to  go  on  the  same  trip  back  for 
their  outfits.     The  day  after  that  they  were  found  huddled  in  a  hole  dug  in 
a  drift  eating  raw  bacon.     After  another  day  of  rest  we  put  masts  on  our 
'  .sleds,  rigged  sails  and  came  across  Lake  Lindcrman  and  over  Lindennan 

Portage.     We  are  now  camped  on  the  head  of  Lake  Bennet. 

Another  letter  N\ritten  by  Mr.  INIizncr  from  Forty  Mile  City,  as  late  as 
June  12th,  is  quite  as  interesting.     He  says: 

"The  trip  was  an  interesting  r.ne,  but  very  dangerous.  Many  men  lost 
their  boats  and  everything  they  had,  and  there  are  rumors  of  men  having 
been  drowned.  Shortly  after  leaving  Lake  Laborge  we  came  upon  a  party 
who  had  just  rescued  twr,  young  fellows  from  rocks  in  the  middle  of  the 
rapids.  They  could  not  save  their  outfit  or  their  demolished  boat,  and  all 
the}'  had  went  down  the  river  with  the  rushing  flood.  One  of  the  young 
n-.en  had  everj^thing  but  his  shirt  stripped  from  him  by  the  swirl.  We 
took  him  in  charge  and  landed  him  at  Klondyke. 

"The  big  canyon  between  Mud  Lake  and  Lake  Laborge  is  a  grand  and 
impressive  place.  The  rivev  above  is  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide,  but  in  the 
canyon  it  narrows  to  fifty  feet.  The  walls  rise  on  either  side,  sheer  and 
smiooth,  full  seventy-five  foet.  Down  rushes  the  water  with  a  frightful 
roar,  rolling  the  waves  at  least  ten  feet  high.  Like  everybody  else,  we 
went  down  ahead  to  take  a  look  before  shooting  these  rapids.  From  the 
clifY  view  the  task  seems  impoasible,  but  there  is  no  other  way,  and  shoot 
you  must.  So,  with  Wilson  at  the  oars  to  hold  her  straight,  I  took  the 
steering  paddle,  and  we  made  for  the  mouth  of  the  gorge. 

"It  was  all  over  in  about  thirty  seconds.  We  were  through  in  safety, 
but  it  was  the  most  h^ir- raising  thirty  seconds  T  ever  experienced.  There 
was  quite  enough  thrill  in  it  for  a  lifetime.  Over  the  terifying  roar  of 
the  water  we  could  faintly  iiear  the  cheer  put  up  by  the  undecided  hun- 
dred or  more  men  who  lined  the  cliffs  above  us.  Up  came  the  ice-cold  wa- 
ter against  us  in  tubfuls.  ^^'e  were  wet  through.  So  was  everything  else 
in  the  boat,  and  the  boat  it.self  half  full  of  water.  But  we  were  soon  bailed 
and  drietl — and  safe. 

"Then  we  went  on  to   Uie  White  House  Rapids,  and    here   we  let  our 


38 


THE  KLONDYKF  GOLD  MINES. 


boat  through  witli  long  ropes.  Two  days  later  we  shot  the  Five  Finger 
Rapids  and  the  Rink  Rapids  without  any  trouble.  The  last  four  days  of 
the  trip  we  fixed  up  our  stove  in  the  boat,  and  only  went  ashore  twice  for 
wood.  The  mosquitoes  on  the  shore  are  numbered  by  the  million  and  are 
liercc  as  bull  teiTJers,  but  in  the  middle  of  the  river  they  troubled  us  but 

little. 

"The  S4in  sinks  out  of  sight  now  about  10.30  p.  m.,  and  comes  up  again 
about  3  a.  m.  About  midnight,  however,  it  is  almost  as  light  as  noonday. 
There  is  no  night.  At  Dawson  there  is  a  little  sawmill  and  rough  houses 
going  up  in  all  directions,  but  for  the  most  part  it  is  a  city  of  tents.  On 
the  shore  of  the  river  are  hundreds    of    boats,  and    others  are  getting  ia 

every  day. 

''The  Klondyke  has  not  been  one  particle  overrated.  I  have  seen  gold 
uieivsurod  by  the  bucketful.  Just  think  of  a  man  taking  $800  out  of  one 
pan  of  dirt.  Mrs.  Wilson  panned  out  $154  out  of  one  pan  in  one  of  the 
mines  I  am  to  Uke  charge  of.  This,  without  doubt,  is  the  richest  gold 
strike  the  world  has  ever  known. 

"Of  course  all  the  claims  in  the  Klondyke  district  are  taken  up  now,  and 
there  are  hundreds  of  men  who  own  claims  valued  from  $50,000  to 
,$1,000,000.  But  with  all  these  men  in  the  country  many  miles  of  new 
ground  will  be  prospected,  and  from  the  lay  of  the  country  I  th^pk  other 
•"old  fields  are  certain  to  be  located."' 


i'l 


CANADIAN  GOVERNMENT'S   ATTITUDE. 

AN  INTERNATIONAL  QUESTION  AS  TO  MINER'S   RIGHTS. 

The  fact  that  the  Klondyke  placer  diggings,  as  thus  far  prospected  and 
developed,  are  well  east  of  the  141st  meridian,  which  forms  the  boundary 
line  between  Alaska  and  the  Dominion  of  Canada  has  attracted  no  little 
attention  among  our  northern  neighbors,  and  many  contradictory  reports 
as  io  what  attitude  tlie  Ottawa  Government  will  assume  as  to  the  rights  of 
miners  who  are  not  British  subjects,  have  come  to  us.  That  the  Caiiadian 
iJovernnient  has  the  right  to  prohibit  all  but  British  subjects  fiom  '.orking 
tlieso  diggings  cannot  be  questioned.  But,  as  the  New  York  Sun  puts  it, 
it  would  be  preposterous  to  suppose  that  the  Dominion  would  really  at- 
tempt to  exercise  its  right  of  exclusion.  Gold  fields  all  over  the  world  are 
open  to  miners  without  regard  to  nationality.    Canadians  to-day  are  free  to 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


39 


work  in  the  Yukon  diggings  on  our  side  of  the  boundary.  The  Dominion 
will  do  well  enough  in  collecting  its  revenues  and  customs  duties  on  the 
new  industry,  and  on  the  collateral  industries  certain  to  spring  up  among 
the  population  that  will  flock  there.  Already  it  has  a  customs  officer  for  the 
district. 

American  miners  have  nishcd  in  large  nrmbers  from  Forty-mile  Creek 
and  other  points  to  the  new  Klondyke,  Bonai  za  Creek,  Eldorado  Creek,  or 
other  regions,  and  they  have  sttiked  out  their  claims.  The  Dominion  would 
have  its  hands  full  in  dispossessing  these  men,  and  there  would  be  plenty  of 
reason  for  retaliation  on  our  part.  We  do,  it  is  true,  exclude  Chinese  im- 
migration, but  it  would  be  dangerous  for  the  Dominion  to  put  Mongolians 
and  Americans  on  the  same  footing  in  an  exclusion  policy. 

American  miners  who  have  written  to  the  Department  of  State  asking 
protection  for  their  Klondyke  claims  have  no  reason  to  worry:  and,  in  fact, 
it  maybe  surmised  that  their  anxieties,  rather  than  any  indications  given  by 
the  Ottawa  (Tovernmont,  are  the  source  of  the  absurd  rumo!  of  exclusion. 


DAWSON  NOT  A  TOUGH  TOWN. 


THE  CIVILIZATION  OF  A  INllNING  CA3IP. 


Lad  le,  who  is  a  veteran  prospector,  and  has  scon  all  tlie  tough  mining 
camps  on  the  Pacific  coast,  gives  this  interesting  description  of  the  new 
city  of  Dawson,  which  promises  to  have  30,000  inhabitants  before  Spring: 

"It  may  be  said  with  absolute  truth  that  Dawson  City  is  one  of  the  most 
moral  towns  of  its  kind  in  the  world.  There  is  little  or  no  quarreling  and  no 
e  Kiwis  of  any  kind,  though  there  is  considerable  drinking  and  gambling. 
Ivpvy  man  carries  a.  pistol  if  he  wishes  to,  yet  it  is  .a  rare  occurrence  wlien 
one  is  displayed.  The  principal  sport  with  mining  men  is  found  around  the 
gambling  table.  There  they  gatlicr  after  nightfall,  and  play  until  the  late 
hours  in  the  morning.  They  have  some  big  games,  too.  It  sometimes  costs 
as  much  as  $50  to  draw  a  card.  A  game  with  $2,000  as  stakes  is  an  ordinary 
event.  But  with  all  of  that  there  has  not  been  decided  trouble.  If  a  man  is 
fussy  and  quarrelsome  he  is  quietly  told  to  get  out  of  the  game,  and  that  is 
the  end  of  it. 

"Many  people  have  an  idea  that  Dawson  City  is  competely  isolated  and 
can  communicate  with  the  outside  world  only  once  in  everj'  twelve  months. 
That  ie  a  big  mistiikc,  however.   Circle  City,  only  a  few  miles  away,  has  a 


40. 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


mail  once  eacli  month,  and  there  we  have  our  mail  addressed.  It  is  true  the 
cost  is  pretty  high,  $1  a  letter  and  two  for  a  paper;  yet  by  that  expendi- 
ture of  m(  -ney  we  are  able  to  keep  in  direct  communication  with  our  friends 
on  the  outside. 

"In  tlie  way  of  public  institutions  our  camp  is  at  present  without  any, 
but  by  next  season  we  will  have  a  church,  a  music  hall,  a  schoolhouse  and  a 
liospital.  The  last  institution  •  -I;  be  under  direct  control  of  the  Sisters  of 
Mercy,  -who  have  already  been  s^a  1  for  a  long  time  at  Circle  City  and 

Forty-Mile  Camp. 

"Nearly  a  score  of  children  were  in  Dawson  City  when  I  left,  so  I  donated 
a  lot  and  $100  for  a  school.  No  one  can  buy  anything  on  credit  in  Dawson. 
It  is  spot  cash  for  every  one,  and  payment  is  always  gold  dust.  Very  few 
have  any  regular  money." 

All  experts  estimate  that  the  minimum  supply  of  provisions  which  a  man 
should  take  to  Klondyke  is  1,000  pounds,  though  several  say  they  wouldn't 
venture  in  without  at  least  one  ton,  as  the  season  over  the  Juneau  route 
closes  up  by  September  15.  The  rush  promises  to  be  unprecedented,  and  a 
large  number  of  prospectors,  after  being  landed  at  Juneau,  will  find  it 
impossible  to  get  their  supplies  transported.  Like  all  other  great  mining 
rushes,  this  promises  to  be  full  of  disappointments. 

A  new  route  to  the  Klondyke  will  be  opened  next  spring.  It  is  overland 
from  Juneau  to  Fort  Selkirk,  on  the  Yukon,  and  Ls  entirely  by  land.  Captain 
Goodall,  of  the  Pacific  Coast  Steamship  Company,  inspeet»d  it  this  Summer, 
and  reported  it  practicable.  It  is  about  700  miles  long,  and  it  crosses  the 
divide  over  Chilkat  Pass,  which  is  lower  and  more  easily  crossed  than  the 
Chilkoot  Pass.  No  lakes  or  rivers  are  on  the  route,  but  the  trail  runs  over 
a  high  level  prairie.  Old  Pioneer  Dalton,  after  whom  the  ti'ail  is  named,  is 
now  driving  a  band  of  sheep  on  the  trail  to  Dawson  City,  where  he  expects 
to  arrive  in  August,  wit  fresh  meat  for  the  miners.  This  Dalton  trail  is 
well  adapted  for  driving  stock,  but  for  men  the  tramp  is  too  long. 

"Dawson  is  not  like  most  of  the  mining  camps.  It  is  not  a  'tough'  town. 
Murders  are  almost  Unknown. 

"The  miners  are  a  quiet  and  peaceable  kind  of  men,  who  have  gone  there 
to  work,  and  are  willing  that  everybody  else  shall  have  an  equal  chance  with 
themselves.  A  great  deal  of  gambling  is  done  in  the  town,  but  serious  quar- 
rels are  an  exception.  As  a  gambling  town  I  think  it  is  equal  to  any  that  I 
have  ever  seen;  and  this,  by  the  way,  is  always  the  test  of  a  mining  camp's 
prosperity.  Stud  poker  is  the  usual  game.  They  play  $100  and  oftentimes 
$200  or  $500  on  the  third  card." 

L.  B.  Roads  said:  "I  am  located  on  claim  21,  above  the  discovery  on 
Bonanza  Creek.  I  did  exceedingly  well  up  there.  I  was  among  the  fortu- 
nate ones,  a?  I  cleared  about  $40,000,  but  brought  only  $5,000  with  me.    I 


,  A 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


41 


;he 
dl- 


JW 


was  the  first  man  to  get  to  bed  rock  gi  ivel  and  to  discover  that  it  was 
lined  with  gold  dust  and  nuggets.  The  rock  was  seamed  and  cut  in  "V-shaped 
streaks,  caused,  it  is  supposed  by  glacial  action.  In  those  seams  I  found  a 
clay  that  was  exceedingly  rich.  In  fact,  there  was  a  stratum  of  pay  gravel 
four  feet  thick  upon  the  rock,  which  was  lined  with  gold,  particularly  in 
these  channels  or  streaks.  The  rock  was  about  sixteen  feet  from  the  sur- 
face.  The  discovery  made  the  camp.  It  was  made  on  October  23,  1896,  and 
as  soon  as  the  news  spread  everybotly  rushed  to  the  diggings  from  Circle 
City,  Forty-Mile,  and  from  every  other  camp  in  the  district. 

"Some  of  the  saloons  here  take  in  $300  per  day  in  dust  and  nuggets. 
Beer  is  fifty  cents  per  drink.  I  have  quit  drinking.  Logs  are  worth  $30  per 
1,000,  and  lumber  $150  per  1,000.  Most  people  live  in  tents,  but  cabins  are 
being  put  up  rapidly. 

"We  have  the  most  orderly  mining  community  in  the  world.  There  is  no 
thief,  no  claim  jumping,  no  cheating  or  swindling  in  the  many  gambling 
houses.  The  greenhorn  gets  an  honest  game  and  every  man's  hand  is  ubo've- 
board.     If  any  funny  work  is  attempted  we  run  the  offender  out." 


FEARS  OF   STARVATION. 


If  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  go  to  the  mining  camp,  as  now  seems 
probable,  starvation  will  result,  as  it  will  be  absolutely  impossible  to  feed 
more  than  ten  thousand  people  with  the  supplies  that  are  now  on  the 
way.  In  another  season  boats  can  be  built  and  arrangements  made  for 
laying  down  an  unlimited  supply  of  food,  but  now  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company  has  only  three  vessels,  while  the  other  two  lines  only  run  to 
Juneau.  Yukon  river  steamers  are  sent  up  in  small  sections  and  put  to- 
gether on  the  river.  They  draw  only  three  or  four  feet  of  water,  but  with 
even  this  light  draught  they  often  become  stranded  on  the  sand  bars  in 
the  upper  waters  of  the  Yukon.  By  the  Juneau  waters  it  is  impossible  to 
carry  in  any  large  quantity  of  provisions,  as  every  pound  of  supplies  must 
bo  carried  on  Indian's  backs  over  Chilkoot  Pass  and  by  frequent  portages 
that  separate  the  lakes  and  streams  on  this  overland  route.  After  Sept. 
15  this  Juneau  route  is  impassible  to  all  except  Indians,  because  of  fierce 
stonas  which  only  Indians  and  experienced  travellers  can  face. 

The  Alaska  Commercial  Company  is  very  fearful  that  starvation  will 
occur  in  the  new  camp  this  winter.    President  Louis  Sloss  said  to-day  that 


42 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


hi^  lonipany  would  do  the  best  it  could  to  feed  those  wlio  rushed  into  the 
Kloml.yke,  but  he  said  that  probably  it  would  be  impossible  to  get  in 
more  than  3,200  tons  of  food  before  ice  closed  the  Yukon  River.  The  com- 
l>any  has  oOO  tons  on  the  way  to  St.  Michael's,  but  the  river  usually 
frpfzos  over  about  the  middle  of  September.  They  have  only  three  boats, 
as  one  of  the  best  boats  was  wrecked  last  spring.  The  supply  will  not 
sLifl.ipe  for  more  than  the  number  of  people  already  at  the  mining  camp; 
so,  if  20,000  or  30,000  should  rush  in,  carrying  oidy  a  small  supply  of  food, 
the  stores  will  be  compelletl  to  limit  sales  to  each  purchaser,  and  tliose 
not  able  to  find  work  will  starve. 

Joe  Ltidue,  who  owns  the  town  site  of  Dawson  City,  empha.sized  Mr. 
Sloss's  warning.  He  said  no  one  had  any  idea  of  the  amount  of  food  re- 
quired  by  hearty  men  doing  hard  manual  work  in  extreme  cold  weather. 
Ho  sjrid  the  suflering  was  keen  last  winter  because  the  men  could  not 
secure  a  variety  of  food,  which  their  sy.stems  craved.  The  transpertation 
tympanies  sent  large  amounts  of  whiskey,  which  found  no  great  sale. 
'J'lien  they  rushe<l  in  stoves,  picks,  shovels  and  other  hardware,  but  the 
la.st  thing  they  seemed  to  think  of  delivering  was  food,  which  was  needed 
more  than  anything  else.  Especially  the  men  needed  such  things  as  evap- 
orated potatoes,  which  relievo  the  solid  diet  of  bacon  and  beans;  but  it 
will  be  hopeless  to  try  to  land  any  of  these  luxuries,  or  even  dried  fruits, 
which  are  indispensable. 

A  returned  New  Yorker  said: 

'•  ''J'he  only  thing  I  fear  is  a  famine  tlie  coming  winter.  The  united 
«tTort-s  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com|)any  and  the  North  Aanerican 
Transportation  and  Trading  Company  cannot  transport  over  4,500  tons  of 
freight  up  the  river  this  season,  and  not  until  next  Febi"uary  can  stuff  be 
freighted  over  from  Dyea,  Juneau  and  other  points  down  along  the  south- 
ern coast.  There  was  great  suffering  last  winter,  and,  though  no  one 
sttirved,  food  rates  and  rates  for  everything  in  the  supply  line  were  beyond 
belief.  Flour  was  $120  a  hundred  weight  at  one  time  and  beef  from  $1  to 
-$2  a  pound.  Moose  hams  sold  for  about  $30,  or  $2  per  pound.  Ordinary 
shovels  for  digging  brought  $17  and  $18  apiece,  and  other  stuff  of  that 
kind  could  not  be  obtiiined. 

'"Wages,  however,  were  proportional;  $2  per  hour  was  common  wages, 
and  even  now  in  these  long  days  a  man  can  command  $1.50  per  hour  up 
here,  or  from  $15  to  $20  per  day.  The  river  steamers  cannot  keep  crews 
this  summer,  for  all  run  away  to  the  mines  as  soon  as  they  get  in  that 
region.  Indians  are  all  the  help  that  can  be  kept,  and  even  they  are  doing 
soonething  in  the  line  of  locating  claims. 

"  'The  man  who  goes  in  this  winter  over  the  Chilkat  and  Chilkoot 
Passes,  or  the  man  who  goes  in  this  summer  by  this  steamboat  route, 
-should  take  in  two  years'  gnib.     I  understand  that  steamboat  companies 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


4» 


vill  not  carry  grub  or  merchandise  for  any  man,  and  that  thoy  are  mak- 
ing a  flat  passenger  rate  of  $150  for  any  port  from  Seattle  to  Dawson. 
This  means  that  they  will  get  several  thousand  people  in  there  this  sea- 
son, and  if  they  do  not  get  enough  grub  in,  grub  will  be  high.  Not  les* 
than  1,000  newcomers  came  over  this  spring  and  how  many  will  come  by 
boat  we  can   only  conjecture. 


C05T  OF  LIVING  W  DAWSON. 

THE  ONLY  CHEAP  THING  IS  ICE  AND  FKESH  AIR. 

T^iborers,  it  is  aserted,  are  paid  as  high  as  $15  a  day,  but  the  advice  is 
given  that  no  man  can  afford  to  go  to  the  new  camp  without  from  $500  to 
$1,000  with  which  to  support  himself  and  insure  the  possibility  of  returnmg 

in  case  of  adversity. 

Living,  of  course,  comes  high.  The  region  produces  little  or  no  fruit  or 
vebetables.  The  meat  of  the  caribou  and  the  moose  is  sometimes  scarce,  and 
there  are  seasons  when  no  salmon  can  be  obtained. 

Here  is  a  list  of  prices  that  prevailed  in  Dawson  City  when  the  miners 

started  away: 

^   „  $12.00 

Flour,  per   100  lbs ^^ 

Moose  ham,  per  lb _ 

«o 

Caribou   meat,   lb • 

10' 

Beans,  per  lb 

....  2.> 

Kico,   per  lb 

2» 

Sugar,  per  lb ^^ 

lio.ccn,    per    lb 

Butter,    per    roll '_ 

l.oO 

Eegs,   per   doz 

Better   eggs,    doz 

$1.00  to  1.50 

Salmon,  each 

Potatoes,   per   lb 

„         •  li> 

Turnips,  per   lb ^  ^ 

Tea,  per  lb ^^ 

CofTee,    per    lb 

Dried   fruits,  per  11) 


44  THE  KLONDYKK  GOLD  MINES. 

Ciinned    fruits 50 

I  cmons,   each 20 

Oranges,    each    50 

Tobacco,  per  lb 1.50 

Liquors,  per  drink 50 

Shovel?     2.50 

Ticks    5.00 

Coal  oil,  per  gal 1.00 

Overalls    1.50 

Underwear,  per  suit   $5.00  to  7.50 

Shoes    '. 5.00 

Rubber  boots $10  to  15.00 

IJased  on  supply  and  demand  the  above  quoted  prices  may  vary  several 
hundred  per  cent,  on  some  articles  at  any  time. 


THE  CLIMATE  AND  THE  HOSQUITOES. 


'i 


.^i 


SHORT  SUMMER— HEAT  AND  COLD  CONTRASTS. 


There  is  a  short,  hot  Summer  of  less  than  four  months,  vpith  practically  no 
Spring  or  Autumn.  The  ice  begins  to  break  up  in  the  rivers  about  May  25, 
and  navigation  commences  on  the  Yukon  about  the  first  week  in  June.  It 
begins  to  get  very  cool  by  the  latter  part  of  September,  and  is  almost  Winter 
weather  by  the  1st  of  October.  The  winter  is  very  cold  and  dry,  with  not 
more  than  three  feet  of  snow.  There  is  only  about  three  inches  of  rainfall 
during  the  winter  and  not  mere  than  a  foot  or  ten  inches  the  whole  year 
around. 

It  is  a  country  in  which  it  is  very  hard  to  find  food,  as  there  is  practically 
no  game.  Before  the  whites  went  into  the  region  there  were  not  more  than 
300  nativea  They  had  hard  work  to  support  themselves  on  account  of  the 
scarcity  of  game. 

The  thermometer  sometimes  goes  down  to  08  degrees  below  zero  in  Janu- 
ary and  February.  The  cold,  however,  is  not  so  intense  as  may  be  imagined, 
and  68  degrees  there  could  not  be  compared  with  the  same  here.  The  dress 
is  mostly  of  furs  in  the  Winter,  that  used  by  the  natives,  and  unless  there  is 
a  sharp  wind  blowing  one  may  keep  fairly  comfortable. 


i 


THE  KLONDYKK  GOLD  MINES. 


45 


After  this  there  is  scarcely  a  let  up  before  tlie  middle  of  the  following 
March.  Just  before  reaching  Lake  Linderman  the  famous  Chilcoot  Pass  is 
encountered,  and  woe  to  the  traveller  who  is  caught  in  one  of  the  snow 
storms,  which  spring  up  with  the  suddenness  of  an  April  shower  and  rage  for 
days.  They  are  frozen  simoons.  Nature  hsis  provided  at  the  pass  a  protec- 
tion against  these  terrific  outbreaks  in  the  shape  of  an  immense  overhanging 
rock.  At  the  top  of  the  pass  it  was  the  custom  in  former  years  for  the  Indi- 
ans to  corral  the  wild  sheep  and  goats,  which  were  to  be  found  in  large  num- 
bers in  all  the  surrounding  mountains.  The  species  now  is  practically  ex- 
tinct. 

This  route,  by  the  way  of  Juneau,  is  a  fine  trip  of  1,000  miles  or  so.  For 
an  individual  it  is  more  costly,  but  for  a  party  it  is  cheaper. 

At  the  head  of  Lake  Linderman  is  a  saw  mill,  where  prospectors  are  per- 
mitted to  prepare  the  lumber  for  the  boats  necessary  to  complete  the  journey 
to  the  camp. 

This  work  generally  consumes  five  or  six  days,  but  if  the  prospector  is  in  a 
hurry  he  can  purchase  a  boat,  the  average  price  being  $80.  Then  he  float* 
on  and  on  for  hundreds  of  miles  and  finally  reaches  the  gold  and  the  miners 
and  the  Arctic  circle. 


f 
'( 


CAPITAL  REQUIRED  BY  MINERS. 


SOME  THINGS  INDISPENSABLE  IN  AN  OUTFIT. 


Mr.  William  Van  Stooten,  the  mining  engineer  and  metallurgist,  gives  hia 
views  in  the  New  York  Herald  as  to  the  necessary  outfit  required  by  miners 
contemplating  a  trip  to  the  Klondyke  diggings.    He  says: 

"I  should  place  the  minimum  amount  at  $600.  It  would  not  be  safe  to 
start  out  with  less.  But  you  had  better  make  it  a  thousand  if  possible,  for 
with  the  present  rush  it  is  likely  that  prices  will  be  trebled  or  even  quad- 
rupled. Even  the  Indians  will  charge  more  for  their  assistance.  Still,  if  a 
man  is  stranded  on  the  way  he  will  probably  find  it  easy  to  make  a  living 
almost  anywhere  in  the  gold  bearing  portion  of  the  Yukon  basin.  He  can 
earn  $10  or  $15  a  day  digging  the  ground  for  men  with  good  claims.  And 
witk  the  rise  in  prices  these  wages  may  also  go  up.  Bear  in  mind,  however, 
that  the  price  of  living  must  increase  in  proportion." 

"What  would  you  consider  the  proper  outfit  for  a  miner  in  starting  out?" 


46 


THE  KLONDYKF.  COLD  MINES. 


"Well,  tlic  matter  of  clothing'  must  be  left  to  indivi(l\ml  taste,  needs  a,nc; 
means.  Hut  the  miners  usually  adopt  the  native  costume.  The  boot«, 
usually  made  by  the  Coast  Indians,  are  of  several  •>  anctics.  The  wat<>r  boot 
is  of  seal  and  walrus  skin,  while  the  dry  weather  or  winter  boot  la  of  ail 
■varieties  of  styles  and  material.  The  more  expensive  have  fur  trimmed  legs, 
elaborately  designed.  They  cost  from  $2  to  ^5  a  pair.  Trousers  are  often 
mndc:  of  Siberian  fawn  skin  and  the  skin  of  the  marmot,  or  ground  squirrel. 
The  parka,  or  upper  garment,  is  usually  of  marmot  skins,  trimmed  with 
woherine  around  the  hood  and  lower  edge,  the  long  hair  from  the  sides  of 
the  wolverine  being  used  for  the  hood.  This  hair  is  sometimes  five  or  six 
inches  in  length,  and  is  useful  in  protecting  the  face  of  the  wearer.  Good, 
warm  flannels  can  be  worn  under  the  parka,  and  the  whole  outfit  will  weigb 
loss  tlian  the  ordinary  clothes  worn  in  a  country  where  the  weather  gets 
down  to  zero.  The  parka  is  almost  cold  proof.  But  it  is  expensive,  ranging 
in  price  from  $25  to  $100.  Blankets  and  fur  robes  art  used  for  bedding. 
Lynx  skins  make  the  best  robes.  Good  ones  cost  $100.  But  cheaper  robes 
can  be  made  of  the  skins  of  bear,  mink,  red  fox  and  the  Arctic  hare.  The 
skins  of  the  latter  animal  make  warm  socks  to  be  worn  with  the  skin  boots. 

Drcsp  is  only  one  item.  Every  miner  must  take  his  own  food  with  him. 
Here  is  a  list  of  provisions  made  out  by  an  cxppi't  as  sufTicient  to  last  a  man 
for  one  month: — 

Twenty  pounds  of  flour,  with  baking  powder;  twelve  pounds  of  bacon,  six 
pounds  of  beans,  five  pounds  of  desiccated  vegetables,  four  pounds  of  butter, 
fiTe  pounds  of  sugar,  four  cans  of  milk,  one  pound  of  tea,  three  pounds  of 
cofTee,  two  pounds  of  salt,  five  pounds  of  corn  meal,  pepper,  mustard. 

The  following  utensils  would  not  be  too  manj':  — 

One  frying  pan,  one  water  kettle,  one  Yukon  stove,  one  bean  pot,  tw« 
plates,  one  drinking  cup,  one  teapot,  one  knife  and  fork,  one  large  and  one 
small  cooking  pan. 

The  following  tools  are  necessary  for  boat  building: 

One  jack  plane,  one  whipsaw,  one  hand  saw,  one  rip  saw,  one  draw  koif^e, 
one  axp,  one  hatchet,  one  pocket  knife,  six  pounds  assorted  nails,  three 
pounds  oakum,  thioe  pounds  of  pitch,  fifty  feet  of  five-eighths  rope. 

Other  necessaries  would  be  a  tent,  a  nibber  blanket,  mosquito  netting  and 
matches.  It  is  also  desirable  to  take  along  a  small,  well  filled  medicine 
chest,  a  rifle,  a  trout  line  and  a  pair  of  snow  glasses  to  provide  against  snow- 
blindness. 

The  entire  outfit  can  be  obtained  in  Juneau,  where  one  can  be  sure  of  get- 
ting just  what  is  needed,  without  any  extra  A\eight,  which  is  a  matter  of 
great  importance,  as  many  hard  portages  are  to  be  encountered  on  the  trip. 
Hitherto  prices  in  Juneau  have  been  reasonable.  Of  course  of  cannot  say 
what  may  be  the  result  of  the  present  rush  in  the  way  of  raising  prices." 


THE  KT.ONDYKK  CIOLD  MINES. 


47 


A  WOMAN'S  OUTFIT. 


A  woman  who  lias  "been  there,''  says  tliat  in  tlie  matter  of  dress  a  woman 
■Gtoing  to  the  mines  should  take  two  pairs  of  extiu  heavy  all-wool  blankets, 
one  small  pillow,  one  fur  robe,  one  warm  shawl,  one  fur  eoat,  easy  fitting; 
three  warm  woollen  dresses,  with  comfortable  bodices  and  skirts  knee  length 
■flannel-lined  preferable;  three  pairs  of  knickers  or  bloomers  to  match  the 
dresses,  three  suits  of  heavy  all-wool  underwear,  three  warm  flannel  night 
drosses,  four  pairs  of  knitted  woollen  stockings,  one  pa'  of  rubber  boots, 
three  gingham  aprons  that  reach  from  neck  to  knees,  small  roll  of  flannel  for 
insoles,  wrapping  the  feet  and  bandages;  a  sewing  kit,  s\ich  toilet  articles 
as  are  absolutely  necesfury,  including  some  skin  unguent  to  protect  the  face 
from  the  icy  cold,  two  light  blouses  or  shirt  waists  for  Summer  wear,  one 
oil'kin  blanket  to  wrap  her  ell'ects  in,  to  be  secured  at  Juneau  or  St.  Mi- 
fhels;  one  fur  cape,  two  pairs  of  fur  gloves,  two  pairs  of  surseal  moccasins, 
two  pairs  of  muclucs — wet  weather  moccasins. 

She  wears  what  she  pleases  en  route  to  Juneau  or  St.  ^Michaels,  ami 
when  she  makes  her  start  for  the  diggings  she  lays  aside  every  civilized  trav- 
elling garb,  including  siioes  and  stays,  until  she  comes  out.  Instead  of  car- 
rying the  fur  robe,  fur  coat  and  rubber  boots  along,  she  can  get  them  on  en- 
tering Alaska,  but  the  experienced  ones  say  take  them  along. 

The  natives  make  a  fur  coat,  with  hood  attached,  called  a  "parka,"  but  it 
is  clumsy  for  a  white  woman  to  wear  who  has  been  accustomed  to  fitted 
garments.  Leggings  and  shoes  are  not  so  safe  nor  desirable  as  the  moc- 
casins. A  trunk  is  not  the  thing  to  transport  baggage  in  It  is  much 
better  in  a  pack,  with  the  oilskin  cover  well  tied  on.  The  tLui,^  tx)  add  that 
are  ufeful,  but  not  absolutely  necessary,  are  chocolate,  coffee  and  the  smaller 
light  luxuries. 


VALUABLE  EXPERT  ADVICE. 


A  MINING  ENGINEIOIIS  WARNINGS  AND  SUGGESTIONS. 
The  New  York  Herald  is  authority  for  the  stiitement  that  few  persons  in 
the  mining  world  are  moi'e  intimately  acciuainted  with  all  its  features  than 
Mr.  William  Van  Stooten,  mining  engineer  and  metallurgist.  Besides  being 
President  of  the  South  American  Developing  Company,  which  works  the 
gold  mines  of  Ecuador,  he  has  relations  with  all  the  great  gold  mines  of  tlie 
world.  To  Mr.  Van  Stooten  it  appears  that  the  gold  discoveries  in  the 
Klondyke  regions  are  the  most  important  that  have  ever  been  made. 


48 


THK  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


"Of  oomw,"  hfi  Hiiya,  "tliore  in  a  tcmhmcy  to  exafjgoration  in  these  iimttenj 
wliich  must  always  he  (liscoimted.  Tt  is  well  to  l)oar  In  mind  that  the  au- 
thor of  Munchausen  \\i\s  what  was  known  in  iiis  day  as  a  mining  adven- 
turer. IFerr  llrpp  was  a  (Jeriiian  who  went  over  to  England  to  develop  the 
eopper  mines  there.  Tiie  nature  of  liis  business  may  have  stimulated  his 
imagination  to  the  marvellous  flights  of  that  bit  of  fiction.  But  after  mak- 
ing all  possible  allowances  for  exaggeration  there  is  an  obvious  residum  of 
trutli  in  the  reports  that  come  from  the  Yukon  basin.  And  that  residuum 
indicates  soujcthing  more  extraordinary  than  anything  recalled  by  a  back- 
ward glance  at  tlio  facts  of  'forty-nine.' 

"No  such  specifically  large  amounts  of  gold  were  taken  out  by  individuals 
during  any  similar  period  of  California  gold  hunting.  Two  months  of  work 
in  the  water  has  realized  more  than  any  six  months  heretofore  known  in  the 
liistory  of  gold  mining.  We  know  that  I.rfidue,  the  Alaska  trader,  has  oc- 
tiuilly  taken  in  fabulous  wealth  in  the  natural  course  of  his  business. 

"We  had  long  been  aware  that  there  wis  gold  in  the  Yukon  basin,  but 
the  total  output  for  the  last  ten  years  before  tlie  Klondyko  developments 
amounted  to  not  more  than  a  million  dollars'  worth  at  the  utmost.  Now, 
within  two  months,  five  millions  liave  been  taken  out  of  the  Klondyke 
regions.  It  took  the  firpt  eight  months  of  work  in  California  to  pan  out 
that  amount  under  infinitely  more  favorable  conditions  of  climate  and 
weather.     That  is  a  straw  worth  noting. 

"There  are  just  two  ways  at  present,  each  of  which  has  its  advantages 
and  its  disadvantages.  You  may  go  by  way  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  the 
Yukon  River.  From  Seattle  to  St.  Michael's  takes  two  weeks.  In  the  right 
season  it  takes  two  weeks  more  to  sail  up  the  Yukon  from  St.  Michael's  to 
Circle  City.  As  the  waters  along  the  way  are  veiy  shallow  only  flat- bottom 
side-wheelers  can  accomplish  the  voyage.  Above  Circle  City  the  waters  be- 
come too  shallow  even  for  this  sort  of  craft.  It  is  three  hundred  miles  from 
Circle  City  to  the  scene  of  the  latest  discoveries.  These  hundred  miles  can 
only  be  covered  by  walking.  Dog  sleds  draw  all  the  necessary  munitions. 
Reindeer,  as  well  as  dogs,  have  been  tried  successfully,  and  probably  the 
deer  will  eventually  supersede  the  canines. 

"The  other  route,  by  way  of  Juneau,  involves  a  tramp  of  seven  hundred 
miles  to  the  Klondyke.  But  in  the  warm  season  it  is  possible  to  traverse  a 
large  part  of  the  distance  in  canoes  through  the  congeries  of  lakes,  all  con- 
nected by  more  or  less  navigable  streams." 

"When  would  you  advise  prospective  gold  digggers  to  start  by  either  St. 
Michael's  or  Juneau?" 

"Under  all  circumstances  they  should  wait  until  the  apprcach  of  next 
spring.  It  is  too  late  in  the  season  to  think  of  going  now.  It  is  true  that 
the  distance  from  Juneau  to  the  Klondyke  can  be  made  in  sleds  and  snow- 


:L 


TIIK  KLONDYKK  GOLD  l^IINES. 


49 


ihoes.  But  if  the  voyaf,'er8  arrive  on  the  spot  after  ihv.  middle  of  September 
they  will  find  it  entirely  impossible  to  do  any  prospecting.  The  creeks  are 
frozen  and  covered  with  snow.  No  clew  to  tiie  presence  of  gold  can  bo  found. 
Now,  even  if  the  diggers  arrive  in  June  it  iimy  take  them  weeks  or  monthi 
to  locate  a  desirable  claim.  But,  once  located,  they  can  continue  their  work 
even  in  the  depth  of  winter.  Great  fires  are  built  around  the  claim,  which 
are  kept  continually  burning.  Thus  the  ground  is  thawed  out  for  digging 
during  the  winter  months  and  is  made  ready  for  the  reappearance  of  tho 
sun  and  the  inflowing  of  the  waters.  Then  tho  dirt  can  be  treated  in  pans 
or  long  tonis.  Owing  to  tliese  peculiar  difliculties  it  is  likely  that  tlie  place 
will  continue  one  for  poor  man's  mining  and  will  be  not  be  monopolized  by 
capital.'" 

"You  advise  people  to  wait  until  Spring.  But  don't  you  think  the  cream 
of  the  claims  will  be  skimmed  next  year?" 

"Not  at  all.  One  hundred  thousand  people  might  disperse  themselves  in 
the  Yukon  gold-bearing  grounds  and  hardly  know  of  the  presence  of  neigh- 
bors. There  may  be  other  diggings  over  this  vast  area  quite  as  good  as  the 
Klondyke  diggings.  As  in  all  the  gold  mining  regions,  diggings  everywhere 
vary  considerably  in  value.  It  is  not  improbable  even  that  the  late  comers 
will  take  up  the  abandoned  washings  of  the  earlier  men  and  do  well  with 
them.  This  frequently  happened  in  California.  As  settlements  grow  up  and 
the  facilities  for  comfortable  living  and  effective  work  increase,  it  is  possible 
that  gold  may  be  found  in  places  wliere  it  was  never  dreamed  of.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  eventually  a  number  of  valuable  ledges  will  be  found,  but  the 
bulk  of  the  gold  will  come  from  placers.  This  is  nature's  process  for  con- 
centrating gold  from  the  quartz  ledges.  You  know,  however,  what  is  the 
natural  course  of  developiucnt  in  newly  discovered  gold  fields?" 

"Well,  here  it  is.  First  come  the  men  wth  pans  to  gather  in  the  riches 
that  lie  on  the  surface.  It  is  possible  for  an  active  man  to  wash  out  a  cubic 
yard,  or  100  pounds  of  pay  dirt  in  a  day. 

"Next  follow  associations  of  miners  using  'Long  Toms'  and  cradles. 

"The  third  stage  takes  the  form  of  hydraulic  mining,  by  means  of  water 
brought  from  long  distances. 

"Fourth,  and  last,  comes  quartz  mining  under  ground. 

"This  is  the  sequence  that  has  always  occurred.  But  it  may  take  years 
before  the  final  stage  is  reached  in  the  Yukon,  owing  to  the  "difficulties 
already  pointed  out." 


50  THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 

THE  NEW  YORK  JOURNAL  EXPEDITICN  TO  KLONDYKE. 


The  New  York  Journal,  in  keeping  with  its  usual  liberality  and  enter- 
prise, has  sent  out  a  large  expedition  at  its  own  expense.    The  Journal  says: 

"To  investigate  the  riches  of  the  ^ukon  yold  fields  and  to  tell  the  tale  of 
Nature  and  human  nature  in  the  new  ophir  of  the  f.u-  North  for  the  Journal, 
a  company  of  five  distinguished  writers  have  been  sent  to  the  gold  fields. 
Edward  H.  Hamilton,  chief  of  the  Journal  bureau,  is  admirably  equipped 
for  his  task.  His  writings  have  given  him  a  high  repute  and  his  letters 
will  discover  to  the  world  the  life  at  Klondyke,  as  well  as  tell  the  sordid 
tale  of  the  gains  of  the  diggers.  Charles  Gregory  Yale  is  one  of  the  prom- 
inent mining  experts  of  the  West.  For  several  years  he  has  been  statistician 
of  the  Mint  at  San  Francisco  and  assistant  in  the  California  State  Mining 
Bureau.  He  is  a  facile  writer,  having  had  a  long  experience  as  editor  of  the 
"]\Iining  and  Scientific  Press,"  of  San  Francisco.  Edward  J.  Livernash  is  a 
lawyer  and  journalist,  a  careful  investigator  and  an  able  descriptive  writer. 
Joaquin  Miller,  the  gray  poet  of  the  Sierras,  will  sing;  for  the  Journal  a  new 
song  of  the  St.  Elias  Alps.  Mrs.  Norman  Brough,  known  to  readers  by  her 
pen  name,  "Helen  Dare,"  will  have  the  opportunity  to  write  of  a  woman's 
experience  digging  gold  in  the  placers  and  housekeeping  in  a  sunless  land, 
with  the  thermometer  at  60  below  zero." 


SAILORS  GET  QOLLI  CRAZE. 


DESKRT  THE.il  SHIPS  IN  ALASKAN  PORTS  TO  DIG  FOR  FORTUNES. 


Tlie  gold  fever  lias  struck  the  hardy  mariner  at  last,  anr?  desertions  are 
numerous  from  ships  up  north. 

Shippers  expect  soon  to  hear  of  craft  being  tied  up  in  Aio-o/can  ports  just 
as  they  were  in  San  Francisco  harbor  in  '49,  when  crews  deserted  wholesale 
to  dig  gold  in  the  rich  placers. 

When  the  steamship  Pueblo  arrived,  Capt.  Debney  reported  that  the 
mates  of  the  Al-ki  and  the  Topeka  had  both  left  their  ships  in  Juneau. 
Other  steamer  captains  before  thry  left  recently  said  they  would  be  lucky 
if  they  managed  to  keep  enoug,h  men  to  work  ship  after  they  reached  the 
northern  ports. 

/ 


. ' 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


51 


Capt.  Debney  says  that  when  the  Portland  reached  St.  Michael's  on  her 
last  trip  up  one  of  the  firemen,  who  had  made  friends  with  some  of  the 
miners  aboard,  handed  in  his  resignation  and  asked  for  a  ticket  up  the 
Yukon. 

It  was  refused  him  on  the  ground  that  he  was  a  deserter.  He  twice  of- 
fered money  without  avail.    The  miners  held  the  ship  for  twelve  hours. 

At  the  expiration  of  that  time  the  company  put  up  a  notice  that  the  Port- 
land would  start  on  her  return  trip  at  a  certain  hour.  The  miners  held 
a  meeting  and  appointed  a  committee  of  twelve  to  wait  on  the  company's 
agent.  The  commi:tee  filed  into  the  agent's  office,  where  each  man  drew 
a  revolver  and  laid  it  on  the  agent's  table.  They  demanded  that  a  ticket  be 
given  the  fireman  at  once,  and  the  agent  complied.  The  fireman  went  with 
the  party  up  the  Yukon. 

Capt.  Debney  reports  that  the  Queen,  which  sailed  from  Puget  Sound 
several  days  ago,  passed  the  American  port  officials  all  right,  but  when  the 
vessel  reached  Victoria  the  customs  oflRcials  decided  that  she  was  overloaded 
and  took  fifteen  of  the  miners  ashore.  They  are  now  stopping  at  the  Vic- 
toria Hotel  at  the  expense  of  the  Pacific  Steamship  Company,  and  will 
be  sent  north  on  a  later  vessel. 

Capt.  Debney  has  received  a  letter  from  his  son,  who  is  agent  for  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  at  Dawson.  He  reports  that  there  are  now  at 
Dawson  thirty-five  saloons,  one  theatre,  eight  dance  houses,  three  general 
stores,  five  ba'-^ries,  five  restaurants,  two  barber  shops,  one  candy  maker 

and  three  laundries. 


ONLY  THREE  DEATHS  IN  A  YEAR. 


THE  HEALTHIEST  REGION  IN  THE  WOJ  LD  IS  THE  KLONDYKE. 


F.  G-  Bowker,  of  Dawson,  says  tliere  was  nobody  theie  to  die  until  less 
than  a  year  ago,  and  that  since  then  there  have  been  but  three  deaths  in 
that  whole  districL  as  far  as  is  known. 

Of  the  three  deaths  one  occurred  just  before  the  steamer  Excelsior  left 
Dawson.  A  man  who  had  just  sold  his  claim  for  $12,000  passed  away  in  his 
Lunk  with  his  head  resting  on  the  sack  of  coin  which  represented  the  suc- 
cess of  his  search  for  wealth. 

In  the  graveyard  at  Forty  Mile,  which  has  served  for  all  that  section  for 


52 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


some  years  past,  tliere  are  only  thirty  or  forty  graves.  Few  die  within  reach 
of  settlements  without  medical  aid  and  spiritual  advice. 

There  are  missions  of  several  Protestant  denominations,  as  well  as  Russian 
and  Roman  Catliolic  missions,  at  frequent  intervals  throughout  the  country. 
Inuiorals  are  not  as  ostentatious  as  in  the  civilized  world,  but  everything 
that  is  necessary  is  reverentially  done  by  rougli  but  kindly  miners. 

The  tale  about  confiscation  of  dead  men's  effects  by  friends  and  neighbors 
is  branded  as  a  malicious  lie. 

It  is  one  of  the  unwritten  laws  of  the  Yukon  that  these  shall  be  turned 
over  to  the  Government  and  disposed  of  according  to  statute  laws. 


CANADIAN  niNlNQ   LAWS. 


REGULATIONS     IMPOSED     BY     THE     DOMINION     UPON     PLACER 

MINING. 


As  the  Klondyke  diggings,  as  thus  far  developed  and  staked,  are  upon 
Canadian  territory  it  is  important  to  bear  in  mind  the  regulations  imposed 
by  the  Doaninion  Government  on  placer  mining.    They  are  as  follows: 

"Bar  diggings"  shall  mean  any  part  of  a  river  over  which  the  water  ex- 
tends when  the  water  is  in  its  looded  state  and  which  is  not  covered  at  low 
water.  "Mines  on  benches"  shall  be  known  as  bench  diggings,  and  shall  for 
the  pui-jjose  of  defining  the  size  of  such  claims  be  excepted  from  dry  diggings. 
"Dry  diggings"  sluiU  mean  any  mine  over  which  a  river  never  extend?. 
"Miner"  shall  mean  a.  male  or  female  over  the  age  of  eighteen,  but  not  under 
that  age.  "Claims"  shall  mean  the  personal  right  of  property  in  a  placer 
mine  or  diggings  during  the  time  for  which  the  grant  of  such  mine  or  dig- 
gings is  made.  "Legal  post"  shall  mean  a  stake  standing  not  less  than  four 
feet  above  the  ground  and  squared  on  four  sides  for  at  least  one  foot  from 
the  top.  "Close  season"  shall  mean  the  period  of  the  year  during  which 
placer  mining  is  generally  suspended.  The  period  to  be  fixed  by  the  gold 
commissioner  in  whose  district  the  claim  is  situated.  "Locality"  shall  mean 
the  territory  along  a  river  (tributary  of  the  Yukon)  and  its  affluents. 
"Mineral"  shall  include  all  minerals  whatsoever  other  than  coal. 

1.  Bar  diggings.  A  strip  of  land  100  feet  wide  at  highwater  mark  and 
thence  extending  along  the  river  to  its  lowest  water  level. 

2.  The  sides  of  a  claim  for  bar  diggings  shall  be  two  parallel  lines  run 


TEE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


53 


as  nearly  as  possible  at  right  angles  to  the  stream,  and  shall  be  marked 
by  four  legal  posts,  one  at  each  end  of  the  claim  at  or  about  high  water 
mark;  also  one  at  each  end  of  the  claim  at  or  about  the  edge  of  the  water. 
One  of  the  posts  shal  be  legibly  marked  with  the  name  of  the  miner  and  the 
date  upon  which  the  claim  is  staked. 

3.  Dry  diggings  shall  be  100  feet  square  and  shall  have  placed  at  each 
of  its  four  corners  a  legal  post,  upon  one  of  which  shall  be  legibly  marked 
the  name  of  the  miner  and  the  date  upon  which  the  claim  was  staked. 

4.  Creek  and  river  claims  shall  be  500  feet  long,  measured  in  the  direction 
of  the  mineral  course  of  the  stream,  and  shall  extend  in  width  from  base  to 
base  of  the  hill  or  bench  on  each  side,  but  when  the  hills  or  benches  are 
less  than  100  feet  apart  tlie  claim  may  be  100  feet  in  depth.  The  sides  of  a 
claim  shall  be  two  parallel  lines  run  as  nearly  as  possible  at  right  angles 
to  the  stream.  The  sides  sliall  be  marked  with  legal  posts  at  or  about  the 
edge  of  the  water  and  at  tlie  rear  boundary  of  the  claim.  One  of  the  legal 
posts  at  the  stream  shall  be  legibly  marked  with  the  name  of  the  miner 
and  the  Jate  upon  which  the  claim  was  staked. 

5.  Bench  claims  shall  be  100  feet  square. 

6.  In  defining  the  size  of  claims  they  .  uiill  be  measured  horizontally, 
irrespective  of  inequalities  on  the  surface  of  the  ground 

7.  If  any  person  or  persons  shall  discover  a  new  miii  iind  such  discovery 
shall  be  established  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  gold  commisis<,iier.  a  clain  for 
the  bar  diggings  750  feet  in  length  may  be  granted.  A  new  stratum  of  au- 
riferous cartii  or  gravel  situated  in  a  locality  wliere  the  claims  are  abandoned 
shall  for  this  purpose  be  deemed  a  new  mine,  altliough  the  same  locality 
shall  have  previously  becu  worked  at  a  different  level. 

8.  The  forms  of  application  for  a  grant  for  placer  mining  and  the  grnnt 
of  tlie  same  shall  be  according  to  those  made,  provided  or  supplicil  the 
gold  commisioner. 

9.  A  claim  shall  be  recorded  with  the  gold  conmiissioner  in  whose  district 
it  is  situated  witliin  throe  days  after  the  location  thereof  if  it  is  located 
within  ten  miles  of  the  commissioner's  office.  One  day  extra  shall  be  al- 
lowed for  making  such  record  for  every  additional  ten  miles  and  fraction 
thereof. 

10.  In  the  event  of  the  absence  of  the  gold  commissioner  from  his  office 
for  entry  a  claim  may  be  granted  by  any  person  whom  he  may  appoint  to 
perform  his  duties  in  his  absence. 

11.  Entry  shall  not  be  granted  for  a  claim  which  has  not  been  staked 
by  the  applicant  in  person  in  the  manner  specified  in  these  resolutions.  An 
affidavit  that  the  claim  was  staked  out  by  the  applicant  shall  be  embodied  in 
the  application. 

12.  An  entry  free  of  $15  shall  be  charged  the  first  year  and  an  annual 
fee  of  $100  for  each  of  the  following  years: 


5t 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


13.  After  recording  a  claim  the  removal  of  any  post  by  the  holder  thereof 
or  any  person  acting  in  hia  behalf  for  the  purpose  of  changing  the  boundaries 
of  hia  claim  shall  act  as  a  forfeiture  of  the  claim. 

14.  The  entry  of  every  holder  for  a  grant  for  placer  mining  must  be  re- 
newed and  his  rtLipt  relinquished  and  replaced  every  year,  the  entry  fee 
being  paid  each  year 

15.  No  miner  shall  receive  a  grant  for  more  than  one  mining  claim  in  the 
same  locality,  but  the  same  miner  may  hold  any  number  of  claims  by  pur- 
chase and  any  number  of  miners  may  unite  to  work  their  claims  in  common 
on  such  terms  as  they  may  arrange,  provided  such  agreement  be  registered 
with  the  gold  commissioner  and  a  fee  of  $5  paid  for  each  registration. 

16.  Any  miner  or  miners  may  sell,  mortgage  or  dispose  of  his  or  thJr 
claims  provided  such  disposal  be  registered  with  and  a  fee  of  $5  paid  to  the 
gold  commissioner,  who  shall  thereupon  give  the  assignee  a  certificate  of  his 
title. 

17.  Every  miner  shall  during  the  continuance  of  his  grant  have  the  ex- 
clusive right  of  entry  upon  his  own  claim  for  the  miner-like  working  thereof 
and  the  construction  of  a  residence  thereon,  and  shall  be  entitled  exclusively 
to  all  the  proceeds  realized  therefrom,  but  he  shall  have  no  surface  rights 
therein,  and  the  gold  commissioner  may  grant  to  the  holders  of  adjacent 
claims  such  rights  of  entry  thereon  as  may  be  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
working  of  tlieir  claims  upon  such  terms  as  may  to  him  seem  reasonable. 
He  may  also  grant  permits  to  miners  to  cut  timber  thereon  for  their  own 
use  upon  payment  of  the  dues  prescribed  by  the  regulations  in  that  behalf. 

18.  Every  miner  shall  be  entitled  to  the  use  of  so  much  of  the  water 
naturally  flowing  through  or  past  his  claim  and  not  already  lawfully  ap- 
propriated, as  shall  in  the  opinion  of  the  gold  commissioner  be  necessary  for 
the  working  thereof,  and  shall  be  entitled  to  drain  his  own  claim  free  of 
charge. 

19.  A  claim  shall  be  deemed  to  be  abandoned  and  open  to  occupation  ind 
entry  by  any  person  when  the  same  shall  have  remained  unworked  on  work- 
ing days  by  the  grantee  thereof  or  by  some  person  in  his  behalf  foi  the 
space  of  seventy-two  hours  unless  sickness  or  other  reasonable  cause  may  be 
shown  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  gold  commissioner,  or  unless  the  grantee 
is  absent  on  leave  given  by  tlie  coiiiinissioner,  and  the  gold  commissioner, 
upon  obtaining  evidence  satisfactory  to  himself  that  this  provision  is  not 
being  complied  with,  may  cancel  the  entry  given  for  a  claim. 

20.  If  the  land  upon  which  a  claim  has  been  located  is  not  the  property 
of  the  Crown  it  will  be  necessary  for  tlie  person  wlio  applies  for  entry  to 
furnish  proof  that  he  has  acquired  from  the  owner  of  the  land  the  surface 
right  before  entry  can  be  granted. 

21.  If  the  occupier  of  the  lands  has  not  received  a  patent  thereof  the 


kffi' 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


55 


purchase  money  of  the  surface  rights  must  be  paid  to  the  Crown  and  a 
patent  of  the  surface  rights  will  issue  to  the  party  who  acquired  the  mining 
rights.    The  money  so  collected  will  either  be  refunded  to  the  occupier  of 

the  land  when  he  is  entitled  to  a  patent  there  or  will  be  credited  to  him 
on  account  of  payment  of  land. 

22.  When  the  party  obtaining  the  mining  rights  cannot  make  an  ar- 
rangement with  the  owner  thereof  for  the  acquisition  of  the  surface  rights 
it  shall  be  lawful  for  him  to  give  notice  to  the  owner  or  his  agents  or  the 
occupi'ir  to  appoint  an  arbitrator  to  act  with  another  arbitrator  named  by 
him  in  order  to  award  the  amount  of  compensation  to  which  the  owner  or 
occupier  shall  be  entitled. 


SOME  THINGS  WORTH  KNOWING. 


Some  of  the  miners  who  have  recently  returned  from  the  mines  say  that 
those  who  wait  until  the  Spring  before  going  to  Alaska  will  mak*.  a  mis- 
take, as  there  is  room  on  the  Yukon  and  around  Dawson  City  for  5,000 
miners.  During  the  vVinter  months  they  can  occupy  themselves  taking  out 
the  frozen  earth,  and  thus  have  it  ready  for  washing  in  the  Summer. 


The  most  trustworthy  estimates  agree  that  over  $5,000,000,  in  nuggets 
and  gold  dust  has  been  tlie  value  of  the  output  of  the  Alaska  mines  during 
the  year. 

It  is  estimated  by  many  that  in  the  mines  already  being  worked  on  the 
Klondyke  alone  there  is  over  $50,000,000  worth  of  gold  in  sight,  and  that 
this  will  all  be  mined  in  a  year. 


A  new  field,  rich  in  gold,  and  that  has  not  yet  been  worked,  has  been 
discovered  near  the  mouth  of  the  Tananar  River,  which  is  a  tributary  of  the 
Yukon,  and  is  the  second  largest  river  in  Alaska. 


There  is  hardly  any  darkness  in  Alaska  in  the  Summer  season.     One  can 
see  to  read  at  10  o'clock  at  night  and  at  2  in  the  morning. 


Both  the  Chilkoot  and  White  Passes  are  practically  on  the  boundary  be- 


66 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


jli 


tween  the  United  States  and  Canadian  territories.  They  are  in  the  same 
latitude  and  are  only  twenty  or  thirty  miles  apart.  After  reaching  the 
head  of  navigation,  the  Juneau  parties  bound  for  the  Yukon  turn  west 
through  the  mountains  by  Chilkoot  ras.s.  If  they  used  the  White  Pass  they 
Avoiild  turn  east  and  cii-cumvent  the  mountain  on  the  east  side.  The  White 
Pass  has  not  been  utilized  by  mining  parties,  the  Chilkoot  being  the  usual 
route,  and  the  Chilkat  Pass,  further  north,  being  used  to  a  much  less 
extent. 


There  is  no  abatement  of  the  KlonJyke  fever  in  Seattle,  and  it  appears  to 
be  extending  all  over  the  Northwest.  Hundreds  are  being  liberally  grub- 
staked and  experienced  miners  are  in  active  demand.  From  $500  to  $600  la 
given  them  and  they  share  lialf  their  finds. 


The  first  mining  company  to  file  articles  of  incorporation  is  the  Alaska  and 
Yukon  Exploration  and  Trading  Company,  Limited.  The  capital  stock  is 
$200,000,  fully  subscribed. 


Every  clain.  within  miles  of  the  Klondyke  is  taken  up,  and  nearly  5,000 
people  are  at  the  new  diggings.  Those  who  got  in  late  have  gone  further 
to  the  northeast  of  the  Klondyke,  looking  for  new  locations,  and  the  matter 
of  hunting  gold  in  Alaska  has  .esolved  itself  into  a  proposition  of  finding  a 
mother  lode  and  new  pockets. 


There  is  an  enormous  demand  for  miners'  outfits  in  Seattle  and  in  San 
Francisco,  and  the  outfitters'  employees  are  working  night  and  day. 


It  is  believed  that  it  will  take  all  the  steamers  and  idle  sailing  vessels 
on  the  Pacific  coast,  from  San  Francisco  to  Seattle,  to  carry  the  gold-seek- 
ers now  preparing  to  start  for  the  new  Eldorado  of  the  Northwest,  and 
thousands  will  be  forced  reluctantly  to  wait  imtil  next  spring,  owing  to 
lack  of  transportation  facilities. 


The  steamship  people  are  amazed  at  the  number  of  "tenderfeet"  who 
have  been  struck  by  the  craze.  There  has  never  been  anything  equal  to  it, 
they  say,  and  the  end  is  not  yet.  The  cashier  of  the  Alaska  Company  says 
that  if  they  had  sufficient  boats  on  hand  there  would  be,  in  his  opinion,  at 
least  20,000  people  go  up  the  Yukon  this  fall.  There  are  not  enough  pro- 
visions now  in  Dawson  to  feed  those  already  there,  and  only  a  limited  sup- 
ply can  be  transported  there  before  the  winter  blockade  begins. 


An  outfitting  firm  in  Seattle  received  a  cablegram  from  London,  Eng- 
land, asking  if  5,000  men  could  be  outfitted  there. 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES.  57 

The  Alaskan  an(i  British  American  gold  field  fever  has  struck  Texas. 
Reports  from  many  places  indicate  preparaUons  for  a  rush  to  the 
Northwest  Inquiries  are  being  made  at  every  railroad  office  concerning 
routes  and  rates  of  transportation. 


A  pinch  of  gold  dust  pays  for  a  drink  in  Dawson  City.  As  the  bar- 
keeper takes  the  pinch  out  of  the  miner's  bag  barkeepers  with  brmid 
tluimbs  receive  the  highest  wages. 


Perhaps  the  most  interesting  reading  in  the  Mining  Record  is  the  letters 
written  by  men  in  the  Klondyke  to  friends  in  June^xu.    Here  is  one  from 

"Casey"  Moran: 

Dawson,  March  20,  1897. 

"Friend  George:  Don't  pay  any  attention  to  what  any  one  says,  but 
come  in  at  your  earliest  opportunity.  My  God!  It  is  appalling  to  hear 
the  truth,  but  nevertheless  the  world  has  never  produced  its  equal  before. 

"P  \SFY  " 
Well,   come.     That's   all.    Your   friend.  '--^^^^    • 


If  you  don-t  start  for  the  Pacific  coast  for  the  mines  before  the  1st  of 
September,  do  not  start  until  the  15th  of  next  April. 


Mav,  Juno  and  July  are  the  n.onths  in  which  work  with  pan  and  cradle 
can  be  done.     During  the  rest  of  the  year  king  frost  reigns. 


The  Klondyke  mean  temperature  is:  Spring,  14  degrees  above  zero;  Sum- 
n,cr.  5i.  above  zero:  Autnn.n.  17  above  zero:  Winter,  30  below  zero.  There 
are,  of  course,  extremes  above  and  below  these  figures. 


To  lM.1.1  a  .iMi.n   ll.voo  months"  work  annually  nui.t  be  done  on  it.     In 
default  of  this  the  lau.l  reverts  to  the  Government. 


The  laws  of  Canada  are  severe  ou  .-lain,  j.u.u.er.  and  on  tl>ose  who  inter- 
fere  \v  ith  the  rights  of  legitimate  claimants. 


fi8 


rilK   KF.ONDVKK  CIOLI)  MIXES. 


EXPLANATORY  AND  IflPORTANT. 


'lilt'  Mining  News  Publishing  Company  was  formed  for  llio  purpose  of 
fnrni-liin<r  n-liablc  infornuition  regarding  the  Alaska  gold  fields  to  all  wiio 
may  be  intcrc-'ted. 

This  book,  ''All  About  the  Klondyke,"  is  the  first  of  a  series  to  be  issued 
iis  fast  as  news  is  received  and  mines  are  developed. 

Keliable  correspondents,  now  in  the  mines,  will  keep  us  infonned  regarding 
all  matters  of  interest,  and  everything  of  importance  that  is  published  any- 
wliere  regarding  mining  or  the  Alaska  gold  field  will  be  verified  and  pub- 
lished for  the  benefit  of  our  patrons. 

liogus  companies  and  fraudulent  syndicates  will  be  investigated  and, 
\\licn  necessary,  exposed  and  warning  given  to  the  public  regarding  them. 

There  are  already  in  the  field  more  than  one  "syndicate"  or  "company"' 
formed  by  impecunious  and  irresponsible  persons  vhose  object  is  to  sell 
shares  in  mines,  or  stock  in  enterprises,  that  promise  to  carry  men  to  the 
mine?  and  to  furnish  them  with  outfits  and  claims  on  payment  of  certain 
specided  sums. 

The  standing  and  character  of  all  companies  and  syndicates  should  be 
carefully  investigated  before  any  one  intrusts  money  to  them. 

The  exodus  to  the  mines  must  cease  in  August  owing  to  the  impossibility 
of  reaching  the  gold  fields  during  the  Alaskan  cold  season,  and  after  Aug\ist 
no  one  will  sail  for  Alaskan  ports  until  about  the  15th  of  April  next. 

There  is,  therefore,  plenty  of  time  for  intending  prospectors  and  miners  to 
inform  themselves  thoroughly  regarding  everything  necessary  to  know 
about  the  mines,  routes  of  travel,  outfit,  etc.,  and  for  investors,  who  are  not 
going  to  the  mines,  to  satisfy  t  .emselves  regarding  the  reliability  of  the 
mining  companies  that  are  and  will  be  advertising  their  alluring  and  seduc- 
tive money-making  schemes. 

There  are  some  coanpanies,  now  formed  and  forming,  that  agree  to  furnish 
outfit,  transportation  and  food  to  those  who  will  contract  to  mine  on  shares 
when  they  reach  the  mines.  There  are  others  that  offer  opportunity  to  in- 
dividuals and  to  clubs  of  men — ten  or  more — who  will  subscribe  from  $000 
to  .$]  ,000,  to  benefit  in  one-half  of  the  profits,  and  who  agree  to  have  a  sub- 
stitute sent  to  represent  the  individual  or  club  subscribers.  These  are  legiti- 
mate and  reliable  and  nuich  profit  may  come  to  those  who  invest  witli 
tiieni. 

The  Mining  News  Publishing  Company  has  no  financial  or  other  interest 
or  connection  with  any  mining  Company  or  Syndicate  and  is,  therefore,  in 
u  position  to  give  unbiased  and  reliable  advice  regarding  any  of  them.     Its 


:: 


THE  KLONDYKE  GOLD  MINES. 


59 


purpose — bpsklcs  the  publishing  of  news— is   to  piotoct,   wiuii   ami  advise 
tiie  public.  • 

We  will  furnisli  any  one  with  the  prospectus  of  companies  tluit  are  s\fo 
and  solvent,  and  that  we  know  to  be  worthy  and  financially  stronpj.  Ten 
cents  in  stamps  should  be  sent  when  inquiring  for  such  a  prospectus,  eitlier 
of  a  jSlining  Company  selling  shares,  or  of  a  grub-stake  or  outfitting  syndi- 
cate. 

Correspondents  who  desire  confidential  advice  regarding  any  company  or 
syndicate  will  receive  the  best  information  at  our  coinmand.  A  fee  of  $1 
will  be  charged  for  answering  such  letters. 

Improvements  in  means  of  transportation,  routes  and  trails  to  the  mines 
will  go  on  from  tjme  to  time.  Changes  in  cost  of  provisions  and  mining 
supplies,  and  in  modes  of  mining  will  take  place.  Regarding  all  this  we 
shall  be  promptly  informed  and  will,  at  all  time-;,  he  in  possession  of  tlio 
latest  information. 

Questions  regarding  routes,  cost  of  outfit,  transportation,  or  regarding  any 
other  matter  connected  with  mining  or  the  mines,  will  be  answered  by  letter, 
written  by  experienced  miners  in  our  employ  here,  for  a  fee  of  $1  enclosed 
with  each  query. 

Address  "The  :\Iining  News  Publishing  Company,  <i()  Liberty  Street,  New 

York." 


Ct/^U 


u 


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cu 


